Government aware “it’s not just Lisbon” that has suffered
Algarve municipalities affected by last week’s deluges have been assured they will be receiving financial help from the State.
Talking yesterday while on a visit to a vineyard in Ferreira do Alentejo, minister for territorial cohesion Ana Abrunhosa referred to the survey currently underway to assess damages caused so far by the bad weather, “not only in Lisbon but also in the Algarve”, particularly in Faro, where there were “situations of extreme rainfall with damage”.
Ms Abrunhosa admitted that the Algarve’s drama “was not so public” (meaning it wasn’t so well publicised) but it was nonetheless financially crippling for all those involved.
She said that talks have already begun with the various mayors of the region’s municipalities to try and get a scale of the damages.
Last week, Minister for the Presidency Mariana Vieira da Silva said the deadline for damage assessments in respect of Lisbon and surrounding areas was January 15. This is likely to apply to the situation in the Algarve as well.
“To open support measures, we must first make a survey,” Ana Abrunhosa explained. The process has to be “very accurate and rigorous,” she said, stressing that ideally people and businesses would have insurance, but in the case of damages without insurance cover, “State support can be considered” – thus the importance of carrying out the ongoing assessment.
