Millions in repairs still needed a month after heavy hail storm

It's been about a month since many towns in Noord-Brabant and Limburg were hit by hailstones the size of tennis balls, and while the worst leaks were temporarily plugged, much repair still needs to be done, Omroep Brabant reports. Among the affected towns are Valkenswaard, Someren and Luyksgestel. The giant hail stones hit holes in roof tiles and turned greenhouses into rubble. While no one was seriously injured, livestock in the region suffered under the hail. According to a roofer, in Luyksgestel alone some 800 of the 1,100 were damaged. A month later the worst damages have been dealt with, but the aftermath is still visible. Many a roof is still covered in plastic sheeting, to stop the rain while the residents wait for new roof tiles. Te prognosis seems to be that the repairs only just started. "We'll be working on this for another six months", a Luyksgestel resident told the broadcaster. After the storms, farmers' unions and organizations called on the government to declare it a disaster situation, in the hope that it will mean government aid to farmers and gardeners affected by the over 500 million euros of storm damages. The government declined, saying that the storms did not fall under the concept of disaster and that farmers can insure themselves against the damage.