The Government approves the declaration for aid by the DANA of August and another ten episodes of storms and fires in Balears since February

The Executive has also given the green light to the emergency declaration of the restitution works on the coast of Menorca and Formentera, which MITECO has valued at 310,000 euros

The Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday the declaration of Balears as an area seriously affected by civil protection emergencies, for eleven episodes of storms and fires that occurred from last February and until September 3, among them the isolated depression in high levels (DANA) that in mid-August especially affected Menorca and Formentera. This declaration will allow the injured persons and entities to claim the aid provided for in Law 17/2015, of July 9, of the National Civil Protection System.

The DANA that affected the islands on August 14 left floods, road conditions and delays in public transport services in its wake, among other incidents. The seriousness of the situation forced the activation of a Grade 2 operational situation and the intervention of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) was also necessary.

The declaration of an area affected by a civil protection emergency approved on Tuesday also includes the damages caused by the forest fires of the natural park of S’Albufera de Mallorca, in May, and of Estellencs, Son Servera, Felanitx and Sant Josep de Sa Talaia (Ibiza), as well as the rissaga in the port of Ciutadella in mid-June and the storms of 27 February and early September, which caused various floods in various points of the islands.

Support from the Ministry of the Interior

Of the aid provided by law for this type of situation, regulated in the Royal Decree 307/2005, of 18 March, the following are within the competence of the Ministry of the Interior:

- for personal injury (death or for absolute and permanent incapacity): 18,000 euros.

- To individuals, for destruction or damage to basic necessities: the cost, with a limit of 2,580 euros.

- for total destruction of the habitual dwelling: the cost of the damage, with a maximum of 15,120 euros.

- for damages to the structure of the habitual dwelling: 50 percent of the damages, with a maximum of 10,320 euros.

- for other damages in the usual housing: 50 percent of the damages, with a maximum of 5,160 euros.

- for damages to common elements of a community of owners: 50 percent of the damages, with a maximum of 9,224 euros.

- to natural or legal persons who have carried out personal and property benefits: the total amount of the expenses.

- to the owners of industrial, commercial and service establishments, including agricultural, sea-fishing and tourist establishments: up to 9,224 euros.

- to local corporations for expenses arising from unpostponable actions: between 50 and 100 percent depending on the case.

- the royal decree also provides for the possibility of approving an exemption from the fees of the Autonomous Agency Central Traffic Headquarters for the duplication of circulation or driving licences and for the dismissal of damaged vehicles, as well as for the issuance of the ID card.

The law allows other ministries to adopt different measures to alleviate the consequences of these adverse events, such as exemption from the Real Property Tax quota and reduction in the Economic Activities Tax quota; labor measures and bonuses and exemptions from Social Security quotas; aid to local corporations, as well as works carried out as an emergency to repair the damage caused to public infrastructure.

Emergency Works

On the other hand, the Council of Ministers has approved the resolution of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) which declares the emergency of the works for the repair of the damages caused by the storm last August in several points of the public sea-land domain and, more specifically, on the dungeon cords that make up the natural coastal protection systems, as well as protection elements such as walkways or access ramps, among others.

The total amount of the performances amounts to 310,000 euros and the areas where urgent action is required are located in the Menorcan municipalities of Alaior, Ciutadella, Es Mercadal, Es Migjorn Gran, Ferreries, Maó and Sant Lluis, in Menorca, and on the beaches of Ses Illetes, S’Algar, S’Espalmador i Migjorn, in Formentera. Specifically, 210,000 euros will be allocated to the island of Menorca and 100,000 euros, to the island of Formentera.