Flood Disaster Relief

Flood Disaster Relief is granted to individuals and legal entities affected by floods and natural disasters, under Law 4797/2021 (articles 24A-24B), as in force. It is not a standing allowance with a fixed amount: for each disaster a Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) is issued that delimits the affected area, and a separate JMD sets the amount of support, capped at 80% of the property's value as assessed for ENFIA (the annual property tax). The main forms of relief are: first relief for basic living needs, first relief as an advance on the grant for replacing household goods (based on the degree of damage), first relief as an advance on housing assistance (based on how the building is classified), and support for businesses and farms. For example, for the September 2023 floods ("Daniel") the amounts were €600 for basic living needs and up to €6,000 for household goods/repairs per main residence (total up to €6,600, 50% for a secondary residence; JMD 17143/11.09.2023, Government Gazette (FEK) B 5406, as in force), plus first relief as an advance on housing assistance of €5,000 or €10,000 depending on how the building was classified. People affected by "Daniel" who had not received the one-off support by 18/10/2024 could apply to their municipality by 31/12/2024 (municipalities recognise beneficiaries by a decision of the Mayor, e.g. Municipality of Trikkaia, decision 1163/2026). Amounts differ for other events. The same mechanism also covers other natural disaster events within Law 4797/2021 (e.g. heavy rainfall/landslides) when they are officially delimited by a JMD, in line with that law's definition of a natural disaster. You apply with your TAXISnet credentials on the "Kratiki Arogi" (State Relief) platform of AADE (Independent Authority for Public Revenue) (information at arogi.gov.gr), only once the measure has been activated for the specific event and area. There is no income criterion. When the flood or disaster is covered by relief through arogi.gov.gr, the support paid there is tax-free, cannot be transferred and cannot be seized (article 6 of Law 4797/2021), and only the supplements for large families and people with disabilities, and the €4,500 for a disability of 67% or more caused by injury (JMD 33862/2019), are paid in cooperation with the municipalities. When it is not covered, the municipality where the home is located itself grants, with state funding, the basic living needs allowance (€600) and the allowance for simple repairs or replacement of household goods (up to €6,000, 50% for a secondary residence) under JMD 33862/2019, as amended by JMD 31 EX/2023 (ΚΥΑ 31 ΕΞ/2023): you apply to the municipality within 45 days, a three-member committee of the municipality inspects the home (or a report of the GDAEFK, the General Directorate for Natural Disaster Recovery, is used) and the Mayor issues a decision. See "Basic Living Needs and Household Goods Allowance for People Affected by Natural Disasters (application to the municipality)".

Current event: severe weather in Crete, 1–4/10/2026. The Region of Crete announced (7/10/2026) the start of state relief for the Regional Units of Lasithi, Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania. Households apply for an inspection and basic-needs aid only to their municipality, within 45 days of the disaster, unless the municipality announces another date. Businesses apply to their Regional Unit (the official in charge of the relief) as soon as possible and in any case within two months (in the Regional Unit of Heraklion by Friday 4 December 2026). Applications for inspections of farms of natural persons go only to ELGA (the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organisation).