Alert levels and categories

What alert levels are used in the “LU-Alert” system?

The “LU-Alert” system warns or informs the population about the impact or severity of an event using different alert levels.

The alert levels used by the various public authorities are as follows:

D
Imminent danger / Immediate action

Alert requiring immediate action

N1
Awareness level red / Utmost vigilance (high risk / significant danger)

The highest alert level 

N2
Awareness level orange / Be careful (medium risk / danger)

The medium alert level

N3
Awareness level yellow / Be aware (low risk / potential danger)

The lowest alert level

A
AMBER alert

Kidnapping alert

I
Information (no risk / no danger)

Used for information messages

T
Test (no risk / no danger)

Used for test and exercice messages

The public authorities decide which warning channel to use in accordance to the situation encountered, following a procedure that was approved by the Government Council in July 2024.

For which events are warning and information messages sent via the “LU-Alert” system?

The “LU-Alert” system currently includes 12 alert categories, so 12 types of events for which warning and information messages can be issued. Among these 12 alert categories, the “weather” category contains 7 subcategories, “environment” 4 subcategories and “health” 5 subcategories.

Alert categories Alert subcategories Explanation
Weather
  • Wind
  • Thunderstorm
  • Rain
  • Freezing rain
  • Snow
  • Cold
  • Heat
 Meteorological notifications
Environment
  • Flood
  • Ozone
  • Fine particles
  • Other
 Environmental notifications (including floods)
Health
  • Food recall
  • Feed recall
  • Allergen Warning
  • Food Warning
  • Other
 Public health notifications
Fire ./. Major Fire notifications
Rescue ./. Relief and rescue notifications (major accident, etc.)
Security ./. Public safety notifications (demonstration, major incident, etc.)
Safety ./. Malicious acts notifications (terrorist attack, abduction, etc.)
CBRNE ./. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear or Explosive threat or attack notifications
Infrastructure ./. Failing infrastructure or network notifications (energy, distribution networks, telecommunication, etc.)
Transport ./. Transport infrastructure notifications (major disruption, etc.)
Geophysical ./. Geophysical notifications (landslide, earthquake, etc.)
Other ./. Other events

The list of categories, and therefore of events, for which warning and information messages can be issued, is based on an international standard (“Common Alerting Protocol”, CAP). However, the alert subcategories may be adapted and updated as other public authorities or other themes are integrated into the “LU-Alert” system.

If you have not found the answer to your question among the questions above, please consult the other sections of “All about LU-Alert”. If you do not find the answer to your question there either, you can contact us directly using the contact form by clicking on the link below.

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The LU-Alert mobile app

With the “LU-Alert” app, you can follow all the alerts and information issued by the public authorities via the national warning and information system for the population (LU-Alert).

Download the application free of charge from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.