There will be a week of intense, persistent rain across mainland Portugal, especially in the north and centre, areas already affected by the low‑pressure system ‘Kristin’. Civil Protection warns people to remove belongings and animals from flood‑prone areas and recommends preventive measures, while the APA anticipates higher‑than‑usual river flows in several catchments.
IPMA forecasts heavy rain from Sunday; Civil Protection advises removal of belongings and animals
Saturday, 31 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Civil Protection (Proteção Civil) is Portugal's national system for preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters and emergencies — from wildfires and floods to earthquakes and storms.
The system is coordinated by the ANEPC (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil), which issues warnings, activates response plans, and coordinates firefighters, police, military, and municipal services. During major events, the ANEPC can activate the SIOPS (Sistema Integrado de Operações de Proteção e Socorro), a unified command structure for managing multi-agency responses.
Portugal's Civil Protection framework operates at three levels — national, district, and municipal — each maintaining its own emergency plans. The system has been under ongoing reform, with emergency associations pushing for clearer single-command structures to reduce confusion between responders during major incidents.
During weather emergencies, Proteção Civil issues safety advisories, may close roads and access routes, and coordinates rescue operations. Residents should follow official ANEPC guidance and call 112 for emergencies.
