One of the biggest problems facing the main areas affected by DANA and the Valencia floods It is the accumulation of cars that blocks streets and highways and hinders the passage of emergency services and the mobility of citizens.
However, the solution will not be easy or quick. Firstly, due to the very large number of vehicles affected. According to Sonia Luque, coordinator of the Network of Road Assistance Companies (REAC)“in a first estimate “We could be talking about around 100,000 vehicles damaged.”.
For this reason and taking into account that the removal of a single vehicle “takes approximately 30 minutes”, this operation “It will take between one and two months”as this expert pointed out in a conversation with EL ESPAÑOL.
First of all, it must be taken into account that The number of cranes working in the area is limited. “There are a few crane companies in the area that have lost everything,” says Luque. Therefore, those who have not been affected are those operating in the area. However, This number is insufficient, since around a hundred cranes could be active in the province, according to this expert.
A crane removes a vehicle hit by DANA with an arrow.
For their part, the Army and the UME and the various security forces in addition to Civil Protection, which already intervene in the areas, have the main objectives priority in the search for the missingin addition to opening traffic lanes. SO, These security forces will first check if there are dead people inside the vehicles then remove certain vehicles if they obstruct a road, street or home.
However, they will not take them into a field, but will move them a few meters to clear the area. So We will have to wait for the crane operators to arrive for the vehicles to be definitively evacuated.
SPANISH
Cranes from all over Spain
For this reason of the REAC, they are in coordination with the UME and with Civil Protection to inform how many cranes could come from other provinces and communities to act in Valencia.
“We have launched a call to all national cranes to see what availability they have and what equipment they have”said Luque. “It must be taken into account that Tugs, single or multi-platform cranes, workshop vans and even booms are needed to lift the vehicles and place them on the platforms.” said Luque.
“And we must also understand that “We have the obligation to continue providing the service to the rest of the national territory”he comments. “And the crane industry is very fragmented, with many small companies and self-employed workers and a few companies owning dozens of crane vehicles,” he says.
Waiting for authorization
“So once they allow us in, at REAC we are ready to move and start operating”says the coordinator of this network which brings together several thousand cranes throughout Spain.
However, This action order has not yet been received. Therefore, at the moment only the cranes in the area are operating. “Not only must they let other tow trucks in, but they must inform us of the protocols to follow, in which areas to operate and in which fields the cars must be dropped off”he tells us.
Consequences of DANA in Valencia.
Once the damaged cars have been transported to the designated fields, it will then be the turn to contact the owners. This is a task in which, from the registration plate or chassis number of the vehicle (if the registration plate is damaged), it is possible to locate and call the vehicle owner to indicate who your insurance company is and what insurance policy you have.
The vehicle owner will then have to call the company so that an expert can come to the site where the vehicle is located and assess the damage. “Normally, this type of event usually ends with a total loss of the car, which would then involve taking it to the scrapyard”said Luque.
Therefore, if now the “funnel” is in the cranes, Further afield, there could be a high demand for experts to evaluate cars.. Some vehicles which will have their final destination in scrapyards or workshops if the vehicle can finally be repaired.
Finally, the vehicle owner will have to contact the insurer or the Insurance Consortium to receive the stipulated compensation based on the market value of the car. A an amount which, in the eyes of vehicle owners, is still considered insufficient.
