About 12,400 people have been evacuated due to storms in Spain and Portugal between January and February. The government of Spain announced financial support to help fishing vessel owners impacted by the storm.
Spain, Portugal begin recovery from early-year storms
Heavy storms hit Spain and Portugal in January and February, which led to flooding and infrastructural damage. The storms also led to the evacuation of about 12,400 people and damage to fishing vessels.
“Storm Of The Century” Leaves British Tourists Stranded On Minibus Roof In Spain, Rescue Followshttps://t.co/y5cPDbtfEL pic.twitter.com/i2SdcCSIr8
— NDTV WORLD (@NDTVWORLD) March 25, 2026
To help combat the damage caused by the storm, the government of Spain announced $8.1 billion in financial aid. This aid, which was announced in February, is targeted towards people affected by the storm.
Additionally, Spain also announced another financial aid of $3.1 million. This will support the owners of fishing vessels affected by the early-year storms.
“The help will compensate for more than 12,400 people evacuated because of these events and mitigate the impact of heavy rains and flooding on houses, businesses, and the agricultural and fishing sectors,” said Spain’s Budget Minister, Maria Jesus Montero.
Furthermore, the government published a list of 496 fishing vessel owners who will split the announced financial aid. The owners are mostly from the Spanish provinces of Cadiz, Huelva, and Malaga.
The aid is intended to help the fishing vessel owners recover from the losses caused by the storms. It is also meant to compensate them for the days they were unable to fish due to the storms.
Ship owners in Huelva will receive nearly half of the total funds. They will, in the aggregate, receive $1.4 million. Cadiz will receive about $1.2 million for 169 vessel owners. Malaga, on the other hand, will receive $624,392 for 119 vessel owners.
The Spanish government has also earlier announced $29 million in aid to commercial fishers struggling with the ongoing global fuel price hike.
Flood crisis in Portugal estimated to have cost $4 billion in damages
After a severe weather crisis in February, Portugal has estimated that the storms caused about $4 billion in damages. It caused power cuts, forced evacuations, and a transportation crisis.
However, the Portuguese government also unlocked about $2.5 billion in grants and soft loans to help people get back on their feet. The grants are to help people rebuild their homes and businesses. About 68 communities suffered damage from the storms in Portugal.
The Portuguese government will also enact a 90-day VAT holiday on construction materials that citizens purchase within disaster zones. This will help reduce the financial burden of reconstruction efforts.