Sheinbaum Says No Emergency Alert Is Needed After Backpack Rumors
Mexico's president says no threat justifies a special alert after viral calls to pack emergency bags, though she still urges basic preparedness.
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said the federal government has no information about any national or international danger that would call for a specific alert telling people to prepare an emergency backpack. According to the newspaper El Informador, she made the remarks at her regular morning press conference, after social media posts urged Mexicans to stock up.
She still advised people who live in areas prone to earthquakes, floods or hurricanes to keep basic preventive measures in place. That includes Mexico City, where seismic risk is part of daily life for residents.
What the president said
Sheinbaum told reporters the authorities have no sign of a global or local threat that would require extraordinary alert protocols. In her words, “We have no information” pointing to a danger that needs a specific warning.
At the same time, she said it is always sensible to have a backpack or enough supplies at home in case something happens. She framed this as routine prevention for natural hazards that come with Mexico’s geography, and not as a reaction to any particular event.
Where the rumors came from
El Informador reports that the confusion began in early November 2026. Videos and posts spread online claiming that an alert had been issued by several countries to predict a worldwide disaster. The reports describe these claims as unfounded.
The National Civil Protection Coordination (Coordinación Nacional de Protección Civil, or CNPC) denied the rumors in a statement on Nov. 3. The agency said its emergency backpack campaigns are a permanent outreach effort meant to build a culture of earthquake awareness and self-protection. Sheinbaum’s comments add to that statement.
The CNPC said it distributes these preparedness guides regularly, together with state authorities. The guides are meant to help families calmly put together a Family Civil Protection Plan (Plan Familiar de Protección Civil).
What an emergency backpack is meant to cover
Authorities describe the emergency backpack as a kit of basic items that covers a family’s essential needs during the first hours of a risky situation, until support services can restore safe conditions.
The reporting says the practice follows an international civil protection standard. Under it, having supplies for the first 72 hours is a widely used recommendation for getting through the impact of severe natural events.
Why it matters for residents
Rumors about disasters tend to spread fast on messaging apps and video platforms, and Mexico City residents are used to hearing about earthquakes. A statement from the president and from the national civil protection agency gives people an official reference point when a viral post claims a hidden warning exists.
For English-speaking residents, newcomers and visitors, the official position has two parts. No special alert has been issued, and the backpack campaigns the CNPC runs are a standing program and not a sign that something is about to happen. The advice to keep supplies applies to people in areas exposed to quakes, floods or hurricanes, which the government says is always reasonable.
What to watch
The CNPC’s Nov. 3 statement and the president’s remarks are the two official responses so far. Any real alert would come through the civil protection authorities, and the sources do not describe any upcoming announcement.
Source: telegra.ph
