The Spanish Government has announced the activation of emergency financial aid for those affected by the recent flooding in Lanzarote. The support package, open until 14th May, is aimed at residents and business owners in the municipalities of Arrecife and Teguise, two of the hardest hit areas during the severe downpour last weekend.
According to the Government Delegation in the Canary Islands, the aid is part of the framework outlined in Royal Decree 307/2005, which regulates subsidies in cases of emergency or natural disaster. The funds are available to families who have suffered personal or material damage, local councils lacking resources to address emergency-related costs, business owners whose premises were damaged, and communities of property owners where structural damage to shared spaces, such as garages, compromises safety or functionality.
The island experienced significant disruption during the storm, with the Lanzarote Cabildo reporting 222 incidents over the weekend. Island president Oswaldo Betancort has encouraged affected residents to report damages to local authorities by calling 928 804 004. This will enable a full assessment of the storm’s impact, which is essential before additional support measures, such as a potential declaration of the island as a disaster zone, can be considered.
María Dolores Corujo, MP and Secretary General of the PSOE in Lanzarote, emphasised that the Spanish Government has acted swiftly and responsibly in response to the crisis. She noted that the financial aid now being offered is fully compatible with any additional assistance that may be introduced by the Canary Islands Government or the Lanzarote Cabildo. Corujo called for coordinated action among public bodies to ensure the aid reaches those in need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Pedro Viera, the island's representative for the General State Administration, highlighted the immediate deployment of emergency protocols by the national government, including an offer of support from the Spanish Army through Civil Protection services. He reaffirmed the government’s ongoing commitment to both emergency response and the longer-term recovery of the affected communities.
The announcement comes amid criticism from the Lanzarote Cabildo directed at Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET. Local authorities have claimed they were not issued a pre-alert ahead of the storm, describing the event instead as a sudden and intense downpour that took them by surprise.
