The drill will test the city’s Tsunami Warning and Alert System and help residents get familiar with the sirens, evacuation routes, and meeting points.

The city currently has four tsunami sirens, located at Passeio Carlos do Carmo, Doca de Alcântara, Praça do Império, and Terreiro do Paço. During the drill, all four sirens will be activated to simulate a real warning.

Tsunamis are very rare in Europe, but Lisbon has a historic example. After the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, a tsunami hit the city. Waves are estimated at 5-6 meters high, reaching 250–350 meters inland in some areas. In other parts of Portugal, like Sagres in the Algarve, waves may have been even higher, and the impact was reportedly felt as far away as North Africa and the Caribbean.

The LisbonWave26 exercise is part of a series of events for the International Day of Civil Protection on 1 March.

The Câmara Municipal de Lisboa says the goal is to raise awareness about natural risks and ensure residents know what to do in an emergency. Authorities encourage people to pay attention to the sirens and practice the evacuation routes during the drill.