The devastating floods in Nerja on September 21st 2007, when 200 litres per square metre of water descended from the heavens within a period of just three hours, caused extensive damage to businesses, private homes and municipal infrastructure. The total cost of the flood, including repairs to infrastructure, has been estimated as being in the region of €9 million.
The Nerja Council set up a special office to deal with claims by individuals and businesses in cases where no insurance cover was present. Around 300 claims for assistance were received and, after six and a half months, everything was finally sorted and the Council submitted the claims to the Ministry of the Interior.
The Council has now received notification from the Ministry of the Interior of the exact amount they are prepared to devote to repairing the damage, and that is a staggering
€0.00. Yes, absolutely zero. The Nerja Council are, understandably, stunned, angry and disappointed by the rejection of all 300 claims and intend to pursue the matter further.
The Ministry of Interior rejection is based on their appraisal that the total of the claims does not exceed 3% of the amount appropriated in the budget for current expenditure on goods and services, an analysis the Council does not agree with.
According to the Councillor for Agriculture, Antonio Miguel Navas, the only aid that has so far been forthcoming is €350,000 from the Ministry of Agriculture for the repair of agricultural roads.
Some people lost everything they had in the floods.