Lisbon expands tsunami warning system with new sirens

The Lisbon City Council is expanding its tsunami warning and alert system by installing two new sirens along the city's waterfront. The new equipment will be located at Jardim Sá da Bandeira in the Misericórdia parish and at Santa Apolónia Station near the Lactário Museum in Santa Maria Maior. This expansion is designed to increase coverage for residents, workers, and visitors in highly vulnerable areas, including the São Vicente parish.

In addition to the new installations, the municipality will relocate an existing siren from the Navy facilities on Avenida Ribeira das Naus to Miradouro do Chão do Loureiro. This move aims to improve sound propagation in the Baixa Pombalina and Terreiro do Paço areas. These technical decisions follow acoustic studies and evaluations from civil protection exercises, such as the ‘Lisbon Wave 26’ simulation held in March.

Mayor Carlos Moedas stated that the municipality is increasing investment in Civil Protection to prepare for potential emergency situations. The current system provides a 30-minute warning window before a wave arrives. The city plans to continue expanding the network until there are a total of ten sirens distributed along the riverside to ensure comprehensive coverage.