Mexico to expand cellphone alerts in 2026 for hurricanes, fires and other hazards

Mexico is preparing to turn mobile phones into a broader early-warning network, adding hurricanes, fires, volcanic activity and landslides to the earthquake alerts already in use.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission updated the system’s rules to create a new Maximum Alert for risks other than earthquakes. It will use a different sound from the country’s seismic warning. The changes also allow the National Civil Protection Coordination to send messages about possible impacts, preventive measures and emergency recommendations.

The system is designed to cover severe rain, extreme cold fronts, heat waves, poor air quality and other environmental emergencies. Authorities said messages could arrive hours or days before an event to support prevention, evacuation and sheltering. Follow-up instructions could also be sent after an emergency.

Civil Protection notices will use the sound configured on each device for text messages, unlike Maximum Alerts. Authorities said people will receive the warnings even without credit on their phone lines or an internet connection. For public safety reasons, the messages cannot be turned off and will appear immediately in a pop-up window.

The earthquake alert will keep its current operation and distinctive sound. Mobile carriers must complete technical adjustments before the expanded system launches during the final quarter of 2026. The government did not give a specific start date or say whether public tests would take place first.