A new tsunami warning test will take place in Lisbon on March 24 (Tuesday) at 10:30 a.m .
If you happen to be walking along the waterfront at this time and date, you’ll hear an unusual sound, but don’t worry—it’s just a test for LisbonWave26, a large-scale exercise that will activate four sirens from the capital’s Tsunami Warning and Alert System.
Where the sirens will sound
As part of the celebrations for International Civil Protection Day, this initiative aims to ensure that, in the event of a real threat, citizens know how to distinguish the audible alarm signal and, above all, know the emergency assembly points where they should go.
On March 24, the sirens will sound in four of the most densely populated and tourist-heavy areas along the Tagus River, where the risk of overflow and flooding is most critical:
- Passeio Carlos do Carmo (Belém/Ajuda)
- Alcântara Dock
- Praça do Império
- Terreiro do Paço
More than just a test of the installed sirens, this exercise also serves to educate and “trigger” the survival instinct of all residents and visitors to the city of Lisbon, with the further aim of helping them identify the warning signs:
- To get people used to the sound of these sirens to avoid hesitation when it’s time to act;
- Know the evacuation routes and predefined paths to higher areas of the city;
- Howto reach the assembly points, identified as the safe locations where assistance will be centralized.
