Thousands request compensation for Lothar
Nearly 15,000 owners of private forests have filed compensation requests for damages suffered during last year's Hurricane Lothar. September 15 was the deadline for putting forward such requests.
According to Hanspeter Waldburger, the director of the special fund created to compensate those worst hit by the December 26 storm 26, the requests cover some 15,000 hectares of forests. Central and western Switzerland suffered the most damages.
Individual cases are to be evaluated by local forestry divisions, which will subsequently submit their reports to the fund’s management by the end of October.
Analysts say that not all claimants are expected to receive compensation, but that those who are should receive the money before the first anniversary of the hurricane.
A total of SFr30 million make up the fund. If the money falls short of what is needed, parliament has indicated it would be willing to increase funding by another SFr30 million.
Parliamentarians are to discuss the matter on Tuesday.
swissinfo with agencies
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