How Catalonia's emergency alert system works during extreme weather events

The catastrophic floods in Valencia on October 29, which claimed 229 lives, have raised questions about whether Catalonia is adequately prepared for such extreme weather events.

The weather phenomenon responsible for the disaster, known as DANA (an isolated upper-level depression) in Spain, or 'cold drop,' struck Catalonia a few days later. However, with lessons learned from Valencia, the damage in Catalonia was limited to material losses. 

Images showed flooded airport runways, cars trapped on roads, and minor home flooding, but nothing compared to the devastation in Valencia. With the recent catastrophe fresh in memory, the public was highly vigilant. 

A key factor in preventing such tragedies is how emergency services and authorities respond. When the DANA reached Catalonia, thousands of residents received alerts on their mobile phones, warning of flood risks and advising them to stay safe.

The mobile alerts are issued by the Operational Coordination Center of Catalonia (CECAT) under Protecció Civil, the authority responsible for such warnings. Catalan News visited the crisis center and spoke with Imma Solé, its deputy director. 

“We focus on situations that can significantly impact a large number of people. Emergencies like car accidents are managed by emergency services, but we handle large-scale crises where coordination is essential,” Solé explained. 

At CECAT, operators maintain constant communication with emergency services, including the 112 emergency hotline, police, traffic authorities, firefighters, and meteorological agencies, to prepare for and manage major emergencies. 

“The meteorological services alert us when there’s a forecast with potential for significant impact, allowing us to prepare for scenarios beyond a normal day,” she said. 

This approach proved crucial when DANA hit Catalonia, triggering multiple alerts over several days and across different parts of the region. 

One of their key tools is the ES-Alert system, an alert system to notify the population in case of emergencies, active since 2023. 

This system, which uses the mobile phone network, can send emergency notifications to all devices within a specific area. 

Phones receive the alerts simultaneously, emitting a loud, distinct sound to differentiate them from regular notifications. A message appears on the screen explaining what actions to take. 

Within just five minutes, the system can reach everyone in a targeted area while avoiding neighboring zones, minimizing panic in unaffected regions. 

“These messages often advise people to shelter in place, stay in a safe area, or evacuate to avoid danger. For instance, they might need to leave a hazardous location and move to safety,” Solé said. 

The alerts are pre-configured on most phones, and with the exception of very old models, no action is required beyond keeping the phone powered on. 

“We always send these alerts in Catalan, Spanish, and English so that everyone, including tourists, can understand them,” she added. 

Such alerts are crucial to preventing disasters like the one in Valencia. There, although meteorological services issued a red alert for heavy rain early in the morning, mobile phone warnings were delayed by nearly 13 hours. By that time, many towns were already flooded, and numerous victims had lost their lives. 

“What we’re seeing is that climate change is driving more extreme weather events. These are becoming more frequent, and we need to be better prepared. Knowing how to respond when risks arise is essential,” Solé concluded. 

To learn more about the catastrophic floods in Valencia and whether Catalonia is ready to handle such extreme weather, listen to the latest episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.