Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 18, 2026 — Mexico will conduct a nationwide earthquake drill at noon Saturday, with test alerts expected on compatible cellphones in Puerto Vallarta and across all 32 federal entities.
The Second National Drill of 2026 will use five regional earthquake scenarios. Federal officials said the cellphone warning could reach more than 80 million devices.
The alert will use the same sound employed for real emergencies. Its message will identify the event as a drill.
What Puerto Vallarta residents should expect
Cellphones connected to Mexican mobile networks may sound, vibrate and display an emergency message at noon Central Time. The alert does not require mobile data, internet access or prepaid credit.
Guidance attributed to Mexico’s federal science secretariat says phones should be switched on and connected to a 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G network. The operating system should also be current and unmodified.
Residents can check whether wireless emergency alerts are enabled before Saturday. On many Android phones, the setting appears under Notifications and Wireless Emergency Alerts. On iPhones, it is generally found under Notifications and Government Alerts. Settings vary by device and operating system.
Residents and visitors from Marina Vallarta and Versalles to Centro and the Zona Romántica may hear phones activate simultaneously. Motorists and bus passengers along Francisco Medina Ascencio and Avenida México may also receive the warning.
Drivers should not attempt to read the message while their vehicle is moving.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said officials decided against using a different alert because “the drill must be a drill in every sense,” according to remarks from Thursday’s federal briefing translated by PVDN.
Federal officials also announced the activation of about 23,000 public loudspeakers, mainly in central Mexico and Pacific coastal states.
However, PVDN found no official street-level list confirming which Puerto Vallarta loudspeakers, if any, will activate. Residents should not assume the cellphone alert will be accompanied by a nearby public siren.
Jalisco assigned a magnitude 7.7 scenario
The official scenario map places Jalisco in the central region’s hypothetical magnitude 7.7 earthquake.
That scenario uses an epicenter 15 kilometers south-southwest of Tehuacán, Puebla, at a depth of 67 kilometers. It covers Jalisco and 13 other federal entities.
The scenario is an emergency-planning exercise, not an earthquake forecast. Receiving the alert does not mean a real earthquake has been detected.
National Civil Protection coordinator Laura Velázquez described the event as a “citizen exercise” designed to measure Mexico’s emergency response capacity. She said holding the drill on a Saturday would allow more families to participate from home.
How homes and businesses can participate
Hotel, restaurant and condominium managers should tell staff, residents and guests that the alert is scheduled for noon. This may reduce confusion among visitors unfamiliar with Mexico’s warning system.
The Cenapred family protection guide recommends identifying evacuation routes, removing obstacles and selecting a meeting point before conducting a drill.
It also calls for assigning responsibilities and considering the needs of children, older adults and people with disabilities.
If a building’s plan requires evacuation, participants should leave calmly, follow the established route, and assemble at the designated location. Organizers should then account for participants and review any problems found during the exercise.
Instructions from Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection, emergency personnel or a building’s designated safety coordinator should take priority.
Federal registration remains open
When PVDN checked Friday, the official registration portal showed registration remained open for participating properties.
Registration is free. Previously registered properties can revalidate their information, while new participants can enter their building and contact details. A participation certificate can be downloaded after the exercise.
The scheduled alert will identify itself as a drill. Anyone who feels actual shaking, sees damage, or receives separate real-emergency instructions should follow emergency protocols immediately.
