Limburg ‘ineligible’ for €1.7 million in compensation for floods

Limburg municipalities submitted over €6 million worth of damage claims to the Flemish Disaster Fund after the floods in July last year, but €1.7 million of that was deemed not eligible due to the fund’s criteria, Het Belang van Limburg reports.

Limburg municipalities submitted 165 damage reports amounting to a total of €6,029,221.50 because of the extreme rain and flooding in July 2021, according to figures Flemish MP Karolien Grosemans (N-VA) requested from Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) and Minister-President Jan Jambon (N-VA). Sint-Truiden was the front runner with a claim of €1,799,393, including €300,000 in damage to its heritage. Gingelom, Heers, Hasselt and Alken complete the top five with claims for €340,000 to €891,000 euros.

However, in the top 10 of the municipalities with the highest amount of damage declared, there are four municipalities (Alken, Borgloon, Heers and Herk-de-Stad) that do not qualify for an allowance from the Flemish Disaster Fund, while two municipalities (Leopoldsburg and Voeren) are recognised as not having submitted a claim. The Disaster Fund receives advice from the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) about the water level and the flow measurements of the unnavigable watercourses, the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) about heavy rainfall and the Hydrology Laboratory about the water level in navigable watercourses.

“There are many differences between the recommendations of the VMM and the RMI. For example, the RMI for Alken, Herstappe, Kortessem, Heers, Wellen and Borgloon gave positive advice for rainfall, but no recognition was given,” Grosemans told Het Belang van Limburg. “The VMM gave positive advice for Lommel and Hechtel-Eksel, but no recognition followed from that either. Both authorities also use different sets of precipitation radars.” Kaatje Molenberghs of the Flemish Disaster Fund said that as soon as one of the three authorities establishes that the standard included in the Royal Decree is exceeded in a municipality, the damage is automatically recognised by the disaster fund.

“Confusion has arisen because the RMI and the VMM have not always adhered to the stipulated period between 14 and 17 July,” Molenberghs explained. “Moreover, the RMI also gives recommendations for heavy rainfall for the periods of 48 and 72 hours, but the Flemish Disaster Fund only uses the two criteria provided by the Royal Decree: for the period of one hour and 24 hours.” Molenbergs stressed that steps are being taken to make the advice more unambiguous and clearer in the future. To this end, cooperation agreements between the Disaster Fund, the VMM, the RMI and the Hydrology Laboratory are being prepared.

© BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND - In July 2021, several regions in Belgium were struck by severe weather. Picture shows the damages caused by the floods in Trooz after the heavy rainfall.