The deadline was on Monday for uninsured traders to add up their losses and send them to Albufeira council.
The November 1st flood that turned downtown Albufeira into a muddy lake caused over €15 million of losses covered by insurance companies, but many traders were not insured and now anxiously await news of financial help from the funds brought into play to help them.
Albufeira council has received 150 claims for compensation with the mayor saying today that the local authority can not commit to paying for the losses, saying 'he's only the postman', as the claims now will be forwarded to government.
Mayor Carlos Silva e Sousa hoped the process would be "quick and effective but now it's up to the new government to decide.”
The council’s own bill remains unknown as public roads and the town’s infrastructure also were damaged in the flood. Whether this will be paid for from council funds, or from government remains to be decided.
Albufeira was the worst affected by the November storm and torrential downpour which swept along the Algarve coast hitting many tourist areas.
Civil engineering works, approved by the previous council administration under mayor Desidério Silva, went ahead despite having no license from the regional hydrographic board which previously had warned that the poor and inappropriate design that has been submitted would result in flooding should heavy rainfall hit the area.
Silva has refused to comment and now runs the Algarve region's tourist authority.
