Flooding on Place Dargent in Luxembourg on 15 July Photo: Matic Zorman / Maison Moderne

Flooding on Place Dargent in Luxembourg on 15 July Photo: Matic Zorman / Maison Moderne

The ministry for small and medium-sized enterprises will make advance payments of flood relief money for businesses to deliver aid more quickly, Lex Delles said.

Luxembourg, along with neighbouring Belgium and Germany, was struck by torrential rain on 14 and 15 July causing unprecedented flooding that was declared a natural disaster.

Delles (DP) said companies are eligible to apply for damage to buildings, equipment, machinery or stored goods with the government helping shoulder costs not covered by insurance companies.

To ease cashflow problems, the ministry will transfer some of the funds within three weeks of the application being filed, Delles said in answer to a . And it is also allowing companies to submit damage reports by insurance agents or other licenced experts late.

Applications will be processed even with the missing paperwork, Delles said, with companies submitting an estimate of the damage caused.

The government in the wake of the floods said it would make €50m available to victims, including communes, households and companies.

Insurance association ACA estimated the damage of the flooding at €120m, making it the most costly catastrophe in Luxembourg history.