ES-Alert warnings and trusted sources in a big emergency

Key rules

• Sender: Only civil protection authorities send ES-Alert, through the regional 112 centres.
• No app needed: You need no app or registration, only a phone that is on, has coverage and is reasonably up to date.
• Do not call 112: When an ES-Alert arrives, read it and follow its instructions, and do not call 112 to ask about or confirm it.
• Languages: Expect Spanish and the regional co-official language, and sometimes English.

What an ES-Alert is

An ES-Alert is a loud warning message sent to every mobile phone in a danger zone. You do not need an app or a sign-up. It works by cell broadcast, which means the message goes to all phones connected to the masts in the affected area.

Civil protection sends it: the national civil protection authority (under the Ministry of the Interior) and regional civil protection bodies, through the regional 112 centres. It is used for serious risks such as floods, severe storms, wildfires, chemical or nuclear accidents, volcanic or seismic events and other major emergencies. It has been in use since 2023.

Languages

Messages are written in Spanish and in the co-official language of the region, such as Catalan, Galician, Basque or Valencian. They often include English too, especially where many foreign residents and tourists live. Do not count on English, though. If the message is only in Spanish, put it into a translation app and act on the key words straight away.

Make sure your phone receives it

Your phone needs to be on, have coverage and run a recent version of iOS or Android. Very old phones may not receive alerts.

• iPhone: check Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts (Emergency Alerts).
• Android: check Settings > Notifications, or Safety and emergency > Wireless emergency alerts. Turn on extreme and severe alerts.

Menu names vary by brand and software version, so search your settings for "emergency alerts" if you cannot find them. Silent and do-not-disturb modes do not block alerts on most phones.

A foreign SIM usually receives alerts while roaming if the phone supports cell broadcast. Some foreign phones are set up differently, so check the settings above.

What to do when one arrives

Read the whole message and follow its instructions at once. These might be to stay indoors, move to high ground or evacuate. Do not call 112 to ask about the alert or to confirm it. Keep the lines free for real emergencies. If it is safe, check on neighbours who may need help, such as older people.

Where to get reliable updates

Use official sources only, and ignore forwarded messages and rumours.

• Weather warnings: AEMET, the state weather agency, on its website and its X account.
• Civil protection: the national civil protection authority and its X accounts.
• Regional 112: your region's 112 service and its social accounts.
• Roads: DGT, the traffic authority, for closures and conditions.
• Police: the Guardia Civil and Policía Nacional accounts.
• Rivers: the river basin authorities publish river levels.
• Local news: your town hall (ayuntamiento) posts local notices.

Account names and web addresses can change, so save them from the official sites before you need them. The checklist below covers emergency numbers and the phrases to use when you call.

First steps: numbers, alerts, scams and your card

• Call 112 for any emergency on land, such as a fire, an accident, a medical problem or a crime in progress.

• At sea, call Salvamento Marítimo on 900 202 202, or use VHF channel 16 if you have a boat radio. If you are on a beach or on land, call 112.

• Start the call with a short phrase: «Necesito ayuda» (need help), «Hay un accidente» (there is an accident), «Hay un incendio» (there is a fire) or «Necesito una ambulancia» (need an ambulance).

• Add what is happening to the person: «Una persona está inconsciente» (a person is unconscious), «No respira» (not breathing) or «Han robado» (a robbery happened).

• Say «No hablo español» (you do not speak Spanish) and ask «¿Habla inglés?» (do you speak English?). Operators often handle English and can bring in an interpreter service.

• Give the emergency, then the exact place (town, street, number, landmark or kilometre point), then how many people are hurt and their condition, then your name and callback number. Stay on the line until the operator ends the call.

• Say your place with «Estoy en la calle…, número…, en…» followed by your street, number and city.

• Check that your phone can get ES-Alert: keep it on, with coverage and an up-to-date system. No app or sign-up is needed.

• On iPhone, open Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts and switch the alerts on. On Android, open Settings > Notifications or Safety and emergency > Wireless emergency alerts and enable extreme and severe alerts.

• If you use a foreign SIM or phone, test that alerts are enabled in settings, because some foreign handsets are set up differently.

• When an alert arrives, read the whole message and do what it says straight away, such as going indoors, moving to high ground or leaving the area.

• Save the official sources for updates: the AEMET weather agency (the official website) for weather warnings, Protección Civil and your regional 112 for emergency news, the DGT traffic authority (the official website) for roads, the river basin authority for river levels, and your town hall (ayuntamiento) for local notices.

• Treat these as likely scams: fake rental listings that ask for a deposit before a viewing, fake police, tax, DGT or Social Security messages demanding payment, parcel or traffic-fine texts with payment links, calls pretending to be your bank, door-to-door energy sellers, and "fast-track" immigration or NIE middlemen.

• Before paying for a rental, view the property, sign a contract, and check the landlord's identity and the property's ownership through a nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad.

• Never click a link in a text message. Check fines on the official DGT or town council site or in person, and hang up on a bank caller and phone the number on your bank card.

• For immigration steps, use only the official appointment system and pay only the official fee (tasa) with form 790 at a bank. Check any energy firm that phones you with your current supplier.

• If you were scammed, report it to the Policía Nacional (091) or Guardia Civil (062), call 017 for online fraud help, and take consumer complaints to your town's consumer office (OMIC).

• Write the names and ages of everyone in your household on your printable card, and note any mobility, hearing, sight or dependency needs.

• Add any medicines or chronic care needs to the card, and list the people who depend on you or on whom you depend.

• Write your home address on the card exactly as you would say it to a 112 operator, with street, number, floor and town.

• Add key contacts to the card: a family member or friend in Spain, one abroad, your doctor and your embassy. Print it and keep a copy at home and in your bag.

Frequently asked questions

In which languages are ES-Alert messages written?

ES-Alert messages are written in Spanish and in the co-official language of the region, such as Catalan, Galician, Basque or Valencian. Many also include English, especially in areas with many foreign residents and tourists. If the message is only in Spanish, use a translation app on the text and follow it straight away.

Will my foreign phone receive ES-Alert while roaming?

Usually yes, a foreign SIM receives ES-Alert while roaming if the phone supports cell broadcast, but some foreign handsets are set up differently. On an iPhone, check Government Alerts under Notifications. On Android, look for wireless emergency alerts under Notifications or Safety and emergency, and turn on extreme and severe alerts.

Will an ES-Alert sound if my phone is on silent?

Yes, on most phones do-not-disturb or silent mode does not block ES-Alert.

Where do I find updates after an ES-Alert arrives?

Follow AEMET, Spain's weather agency, for weather warnings, and Protección Civil and your regional 112 for the emergency itself. Use the DGT, Spain's traffic authority, for roads, and your town hall (ayuntamiento) for local notices. If it is safe, help vulnerable neighbours.

References

1. aemet.es
2. dgt.es