Councils request disaster compensation

1 August 2005

BRUSSELS — Municipalities in and around Brussels are asking the federal government to pay for last weekend’s storm damage from the natural disaster fund.

Besides Elsene, Molenbeek and Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, the municipalities of Vorst, Dilbeek, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and Anderlecht have also requested the federal government recognise the flooding as a natural disaster.

The Anderlecht City Council said a large number of residents contacted the local administration after the exceptionally heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday.

Consequently, the council is requesting that Interior Minister Patrick Dewael and Brussels governor Véronique Paulus de Châtelet recognise the storm damage was a natural disaster.

Official recognition of a natural disaster is necessary if compensation is to be paid from the federal government’s disaster fund.

Municipalities have requested residents send a letter to the council estimating the extent of damage. They have also been advised to keep all bills and photos.

Anderlecht has also promised to help residents fill in the form necessary to obtain compensation, while the garbage removal service is prepared to assist in clearing debris.

Brussels and large sections of Flemish Brabant and Limburg were hit by severe thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.

Flooding was reported on Friday in Flageyplein in Elsene, in Sint-Stevens-Woluwe and in Molenbeek. These municipalities had earlier requested assistance via the federal disaster fund.

The municipalities of Anderlecht, Koekelberg and again Molenbeek were hit by stormy weather on Saturday afternoon.

Subject: Belgian news