A water board in Limburg has turned down 44 claims for damages worth a total of €1 million made by farmers whose fields were waterlogged during this summer’s heavy rains.

Farmers’ representatives ZLTO and LLTB had called on the government to declare a national emergency following the exceptionally high rainfall in June, but the request was rejected by junior economic affairs minister Martijn van Dam. Many farmers were not covered by insurance for the huge losses they suffered.

The 44 farmers sought compensation from the Roer and Overmars water board for perceived failures in the drainage system. But the board concluded that it done everything possible to prevent damage.

June’s storms were characterised by concentrated bursts of rainfall over small areas, which made it difficult to protect the land, the water board found.