Short answer. Spain warns the public through ES-Alert, a cell broadcast system that sends a full-screen message with a loud tone to every phone in the affected area, with no registration or app 1. Regional emergency centres and the national CENEM issue the alerts 1. Fixed warning means also exist around nuclear plants, chemical sites and dams, and complement ES-Alert 234.
How does ES-Alert work?
ES-Alert is Spain's implementation of EU-Alert over cell broadcast 1. It is issued by the emergency coordination centres of the autonomous communities and by the national CENEM, part of the Ministry of the Interior 1. It implements Article 110 of Directive (EU) 2018/1972, and Article 12 of Law 17/2015 creates the Red de Alerta Nacional de Protección Civil 15.
| Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Alerta de Protección Civil (EU-Alert level 1) | Highest level; on by default and cannot be turned off 1 |
| Pre-Alerta de Protección Civil (EU-Alert level 2) | Advance warning; can be turned off on the phone 1 |
The message appears full screen with a beep at maximum volume and vibration, even if the phone is silenced, locked or in Do Not Disturb 1. Phones that are off or out of coverage do not receive it 1.
Will my phone receive ES-Alert?
Android 11 or later and iOS 15.6 or later display it correctly; Android 8 or older does not receive it 1. Messages are in Spanish plus the co-official regional language, with an optional second language, usually English, shown on phones set to a language other than Spanish 1. The authority itself notes that "la recepción de una alerta a través del sistema ES-Alert es un hecho poco frecuente" — receiving an alert is rare 1.
What should you do when you receive an alert?
Stay calm and read the whole message, including the instructions; tell the people around you; follow the instructions; and keep following radio, television and social media 1. Check first whether the message says it is a drill or a test 1. A battery or hand-crank radio keeps you informed if the power or network fails.
Where are there sirens?
| Where | What it means |
|---|---|
| Within 10 km of a nuclear power plant (zone I) | Fixed public warning means required by the nuclear plan; described as loudspeakers giving instructions to residents, alongside radio broadcasts 26 |
| Chemical-risk areas in Catalonia (about 50 municipalities, e.g. the Tarragona petrochemical area, Barcelona's Zona Franca and Port, Flix) | Alert start: three one-minute signals separated by 5-second silences: go inside a building and confine yourself. End of alert: one continuous 30-second signal 34 |
| Downstream of dams (Catalonia guidance) | A different sound: leave for high ground and move away from rivers and streams 47 |
Catalonia tests its chemical-risk sirens and sends a phone alert to people in or near the hearing radius during tests 3.
Are there official apps or maps?
- RAN public viewer (https://ran-vmap.proteccioncivil.es/): a public map of warnings collected by the National Alert Network — earthquakes, AEMET adverse weather warnings and forest fire risk — updated every five minutes; the network is run by CENEM 8.
- AlertCops: a free Ministry of the Interior app with geolocation and two-way messaging, including photos and video, to the nearest call centre. Since December 2019 it gives deaf and speech-impaired users access to medical, police and fire services. It complements 112 and does not replace it, and it can also send warnings to devices in an affected area 9.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register for ES-Alert?
No. ES-Alert reaches every compatible phone in the area without registration or an app 1.
Can I turn ES-Alert off?
Only the Pre-Alerta level. The highest level, Alerta de Protección Civil, is on by default and cannot be turned off 1.
Will I get alerts in English?
Possibly. An optional second language, usually English, is shown on phones set to a language other than Spanish 1.
What does the Catalan chemical siren sound like?
Three one-minute signals separated by 5-second silences mean go inside and confine yourself; one continuous 30-second signal ends the alert 3.
Sources
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) — Public Warning System — https://www.proteccioncivil.es/coordinacion/redes/ran/public-warning-system (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) — Riesgo nuclear — https://www.proteccioncivil.es/coordinacion/gestion-de-riesgos/tecnologicos/riesgo-nuclear (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública — Proves de sirenes — https://interior.gencat.cat/ca/arees_dactuacio/proteccio_civil/consells_autoproteccio_emergencia/riscos_tecnologics/risc_quimic/sirenes-davis-per-risc-quimic/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública — Prepara't per a les emergències — https://interior.gencat.cat/ca/arees_dactuacio/proteccio_civil/consells_autoproteccio_emergencia/preparat_per_les_emergencies/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado — Ley 17/2015, de 9 de julio, del Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil (texto consolidado) — https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/2015/07/09/17/con (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado — Real Decreto 1546/2004, de 25 de junio, por el que se aprueba el Plan Básico de Emergencia Nuclear (texto consolidado) — https://www.boe.es/eli/es/rd/2004/06/25/1546/con (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Protecció Civil (Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública) — Prepara't per a les emergències. Guia per a la preparació i la resposta davant de situacions d'emergència — https://interior.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/030_arees_dactuacio/proteccio_civil/consells_autoproteccio_emergencies/1.preparat_emergencies/2.subcanal_equip_emergies/documents/Preparat-per-a-les-emergencies.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) — RAN (Red de Alerta Nacional) — https://www.proteccioncivil.es/coordinacion/redes/ran (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) — Interior actualiza Alertcops para facilitar el acceso de personas con discapacidad auditiva a los servicios de emergencia — https://www.proteccioncivil.es/-/interior-actualiza-alertcops-para-facilitar-el-acceso-de-personas-con-discapacidad-auditiva-a-los-servicios-de-emergencia (accessed 2026-10-20)
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Sources
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) · Public Warning System checked 2026-10-20
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) · Riesgo nuclear checked 2026-10-20
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública · Proves de sirenes checked 2026-10-20
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública · Prepara't per a les emergències checked 2026-10-20
- Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · Ley 17/2015, de 9 de julio, del Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil (texto consolidado) checked 2026-10-20
- Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado · Real Decreto 1546/2004, de 25 de junio, por el que se aprueba el Plan Básico de Emergencia Nuclear (texto consolidado) checked 2026-10-20
- Generalitat de Catalunya, Protecció Civil (Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública) · Prepara't per a les emergències. Guia per a la preparació i la resposta davant de situacions d'emergència checked 2026-10-20
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) · RAN (Red de Alerta Nacional) checked 2026-10-20
- Secretaría General de Protección Civil y Emergencias (Ministerio del Interior) · Interior actualiza Alertcops para facilitar el acceso de personas con discapacidad auditiva a los servicios de emergencia checked 2026-10-20