Storm leads Civil Protection to activate maximum readiness level nationwide
Civil Protection has activated the maximum readiness level across the entire country due to a storm. Emergency teams are prepared for tasks including pumping water from flooded areas and clearing roads, and the public is warned of potential electricity and communication outages.
Why it matters
If you are living in Portugal, be prepared for possible infrastructure disruptions like power or communication failures and exercise caution regarding flooding or road obstructions during the storm.
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The president of the Center for Studies and Intervention in Civil Protection states that the preparation of authorities for bad weather is positive, highlighting the measures announced and the warnings issued to municipalities at risk.
The Government declared an Alert Situation for the entire mainland territory, in effect from 00:00 to 23:59 on Wednesday 11 November 2026, due to the Charles depression. ANEPC raised its readiness to the maximum level and is sending over six million SMS messages urging people to stay home and drastically reduce travel, with peak intensity expected between 12:00 and 15:00 on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Mandatory remote work has been instituted for all compatible roles in Public Administration, with the private sector urged to follow, and red warnings cover all districts from Leiria southwards, with acute concern for Lisbon and Setúbal due to heavy rainfall coinciding with high tide. Courts, civil registries, and public services across the mainland have closed in-person service, with urgent medical scales and emergency services maintaining operations.
The government is actively positioning itself to prepare for the arrival of the Charles depression, seeking to avoid the political fallout experienced following delays in responding to the previous Kristin storm.