The most destructive torrential rain episode of this century is still ongoing. After causing a great catastrophe in the Valencian Community, where there were 210 deaths and incalculable material damage, it continues to strike the Mediterranean coast. The Civil Protection authorities continue to send alerts on this subject to the population, the latest this morning for all the devices of the inhabitants of Baix Llobregat, a region of more than 800,000 inhabitants of the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
The Civil Protection alert system is called ES-Alert and uses technology based on sending messages by radio signal, which reach all cell phones within range of the telephone antennas that emit them. This has several advantages for sending alerts compared to SMS technology, such as the fact that reception is immediate and is not affected by possible saturation of telephone networks derived from the emergency.
It is also not necessary to know the recipient’s telephone number: if the mobile device is within range of the antenna, it will receive the message. In this way, authorities can warn everyone in a specific area of the danger.
To receive notifications from the ES-Alert system, it is necessary to activate this option in the phone settings. Most users have the configuration enabled by default, but in recent hours many users have warned on social networks that this is not the case in the case of their devices. The method for doing this varies depending on the device manufacturer.
Enable ES-Alert on Android Phones
To activate the Civil Protection alert system on Android phones, it is necessary to enter “Settings”. Once there, you must search for “Security and Emergencies” and once in this menu; “Wireless Emergency Alerts”. You need to tap the “Allow Alerts” button.
Settings > Security & emergencies > Wireless emergency alerts > Allow alerts
Activate ES-Alert system on Android
In the case of Android phones, the route may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, or include the ability to enable more alert options.
Enable ES-Alert on iPhone Phones
To activate the Civil Protection alert system on iPhone phones, it is necessary to enter “Settings”. Once there, you must go to “Notifications” and once in this menu; Scroll down until you find the “ES-ALERT” section and the “Civil protection pre-alerts” button that must be activated.
Settings > Security & emergencies > Wireless emergency alerts > Allow alerts
Activate ES-Alert system on Android
Many users who have updated their phone to the latest version of iOS (18 or higher) report that the button is now disabled, although they have received alerts in the past.
A loud beep
The ES-Alert system notification is characterized by the emission of a loud and constant alarm beep, different from that used by the rest of the applications or functions of the phones, as well as by a more persistent vibration. Upon receipt of the alert, the Civil Protection message will appear directly on the device screen.
The ES-Alert system was developed at the initiative of the government after the natural disasters of the Filomenta storm and the eruption of the La Palma volcano, adapting emergency alert models present in other countries. Its testing phase began in November 2022. “On some mobile phones, a beep will sound, announcing that it is a test message from the civil protection alert system via mobile telephone networks and indicating that There is nothing special to do. It’s a test to ensure it’s working properly,” Civil Protection explained at the time.
The messages are sent by the emergency response centers of the autonomous communities, coordinated by the National Emergency Monitoring and Coordination Center of the Ministry of the Interior.
