The 68 municipalities declared in a state of calamity after Storm Kristin account for 17.1% of Portugal’s resident population and 16.7% of the country’s total area — territory that is home to large companies, many of them major exporters.
Municipalities in a state of calamity account for 17% of the Portuguese population
Tuesday, 3 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
A state of calamity (situação de calamidade) is the highest level of civil emergency Portugal can declare under its Civil Protection framework, short of a constitutional state of emergency. It is typically declared by the government in response to severe natural disasters such as major wildfires, floods, or storms.
A calamity declaration activates the National Civil Protection Emergency Plan, mobilizes additional resources, and grants authorities expanded powers to restrict movement, requisition private property, and deploy military assets. It also unlocks emergency financial support for affected populations and municipalities.
Portugal uses a three-tier alert system: alerta (alert), contingência (contingency), and calamidade (calamity), each with escalating levels of coordination and authority. The state of calamity requires coordination between the national government, ANEPC, local authorities, and emergency services.
