Lisbon, Feb. 4, 2026 (Lusa) - State aid granted by the Portuguese government in relation to damage caused by Storm Kristin, up to €5,000 for the reconstruction of housing and temporary accommodation, does not require an audit and can be requested using photographs.
According to a resolution of the Cabinet published in the official government gazette, "up to the amount of €5,000, the estimate of the eligible cost may be based on photographs submitted by the applicant, without the need for an on-site inspection".
Thus, in relation to permanent owner-occupied housing, expenses incurred to cover "work and interventions necessary for the repair, rehabilitation or reconstruction of permanent owner-occupied housing damaged by storm Kristin, included in a building located in a district covered by the scheme and effectively used as the household's habitual residence", as well as expenses for temporary rehousing, duly justified by the impossibility of using the affected dwelling.
To this end, the law states that the "eligible cost is determined on the basis of an estimate prepared under the responsibility of the city council and validated by the territorially competent CCDR [Regional Coordination and Development Commission], and unit cost references may be used by type of work".
According to the Government, the public contribution for each operation is "100% of the eligible expenditure remaining after deduction of insurance compensation and other support, with an overall limit of €10,000 per dwelling".
The Financial Instrument for Urban Rehabilitation and Revitalisation (IFRRU) also provides "credit lines for costs not covered by the public subsidy for work and interventions necessary for the repair, rehabilitation or reconstruction of own and permanent housing damaged by the storm".
The law also establishes that "temporary rehousing expenses may be supported up to a monthly limit and for a maximum period to be set by joint order of the members of the Government responsible for finance, territorial cohesion, housing and social security".
Nevertheless, it was determined that "the application of support is subject to control and audit measures by the competent inspection and financial control entities", pointing out that "the provision of false statements, the use of funds for purposes other than those approved or serious breach of the obligations incurred" leads to the revocation of the support and the repayment of the amounts received, with legal interest, "without prejudice to any administrative or criminal liability that may arise".
The law also specifies other measures already implemented by the Government, such as the reinforcement of the country's road and rail infrastructure manager, Infraestruturas de Portugal's funds by €400 million and the transfer to the territorial Regional Coordination and Development Commission of a total amount of €250 million, which includes the immediate restoration of schools, municipal roads and other equipment in parishes or local authorities.
Funding allocated to the Integrated Emergency and Security Network System of Portugal was also increased, with a total of €6 million for the restoration of communications, and the transfer of €12 million to Património Cultural, I. P., and €8 million to Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, E. P. E., allocated to the restoration of affected cultural heritage.
The law also establishes the conditions for rehabilitation intervention work in agricultural, forestry and fishing operations, including extraordinary support for the purchase of animal feed for affected livestock producers "who own farms with cattle, sheep and goats, financed by the centralised allocation of the Ministry of Finance", up to a maximum of €3 million.
Ten people have died since last week as a result of the bad weather. Civil Protection recorded five deaths directly associated with the passage of the Kristin depression, and the Marinha Grande City Council announced another fatality, to which were added four deaths recorded due to falling from roofs (during repairs) and carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator.
The total or partial destruction of homes, businesses and equipment, fallen trees and structures, road and transport service disruptions, particularly railways, school closures and power, water and communication outages are the main material consequences of the storm, which has left several hundred people injured and homeless.
Leiria, Coimbra and Santarém are the regions with the most damage.
The Government has declared a state of emergency until next Sunday for 58 districts and announced a package of support measures worth up to €2.5 million.
ALN/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
