National Civil Protection Emergency Plan activated

The National Civil Protection Commission (CNPC) decided to activate the National Civil Protection Emergency Plan (PNEPC) in its first extraordinary meeting of 2026, held on 1 February and chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs Maria Lúcia Amaral.

The activation of the National Civil Protection Emergency Plan (PNEPC) preventively sets up reinforced and integrated coordination mechanisms that cover the entire country. 

We note the design of an uninterrupted information flow between all the Government areas and bodies involved, to assist with the plan, headed by the Minister of Home Affairs Maria Lúcia Amaral. 

The mechanisms set under the Plan will be activated in a gradual and flexible way in response to how the situation is evolving and whenever deemed necessary with the aim of ensuring an effective and articulated response to the risk.

The decision followed from the worsening of risk for people and goods in the next few days due to the high amounts of rainfall expected and its impact on floods and flooding. 

These effects are added on to a territory that has already been affected by the consequences of the recent storm Kristin.

The National Civil Protection Commission is the political coordination body for civil protection, presided over by the Minister of Home Affairs. On it are the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Paulo Simões Ribeiro, the Secretaries of State for Home Affairs Telmo Correia and Civil Protection Rui Rocha, and those charged with the various bodies that make up the National Civil Protection System.