The Cape Verdean government has approved a survivor pension for the heirs of the nine people who died during Storm Erin, which hit the island of São Vicente in August 2025.
“The decree exceptionally establishes the right to a survivor pension for the capable heirs of the fatalities of Storm Erin, which occurred on August 11, 2025, in the municipality of São Vicente,” reads a resolution published in the Official Gazette on Monday.
The monthly pension has been set at 25,000 escudos (approximately €225.51), tax-exempt, paid from the State Budget, and adjusted in line with public sector salary increases.
Payments will begin in the month following the publication of the decree and will, subsidiarily, follow the rules of the Statute of Retirement and Survivor Pensions.
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According to the decree, the measure aims to support the families of the victims, who face economic hardship after losing the main or only source of income, ensuring stability and dignity.
The government frames this decision as a measure of justice, solidarity, and social reparation in response to the disaster’s impact.
The floods on August 11 inundated neighborhoods, destroyed roads, bridges, and commercial establishments, disrupted electricity supply, and resulted in nine deaths in São Vicente.
In Santo Antão and São Nicolau, the storm caused floods, landslides, and infrastructure damage.
Following the storm, the government declared a six-month state of calamity in São Vicente, Porto Novo (Santo Antão), and the two municipalities of São Nicolau, implementing an emergency response plan that included aid to families and economic activities, such as subsidized loans and non-repayable grants.
