THE mountains of cars destroyed and abandoned by floods in the streets and highways of Valencia They have become one of the most repeated images of the apocalyptic landscape left by DANA. Almost 100,000 vehicles including cars, vans and trucks were affected by the cold fall, in what already represents one of the biggest holes generated: nearly 1.5 billion euros in losses according to the initial estimate made by the Generalitat Valenciana.
In its provisional assessment to quantify the impact and the aid that will be necessaryit is one of the most important elements collected by the regional government, before the estimated damage to commerce, which amounts to around 1.4 billion euros (including small businesses, municipal markets and shopping centers); and hospitality, which represents around 200 million.
The damage in private vehicles are the most important in number and economic volume, with 864 million eurosgiven the scale of the cars that will be declared total loss. But they were also dragged and disabled more than 10,000 heavy goods vehicles, which represents at least 400 million additional euros.
In addition, the Generalitat included an initial assessment of 200 million euros for the damage caused in cars in stock at around 40 dealerships. A figure which could be insufficient since, according to the automobile distribution union itself, Faconauto, estimates losses in the sector at 490 million euros, including utility vehicles.
Added to the economic scale of the disaster is the tragedy it represents for the victims in the most affected areas, because In towns like Paiporta, Picanya, Sedaví or Algemesí, the destruction was practically total. and getting a car after more than a week of DANA is an almost impossible mission.
The 100,000 vehicles affected together They represent almost 60% of the total mobile fleet registered in the 15 Valencian municipalities of the zero point, according to the latest data from the DGT. In total, the approximately 170,000 vehicles present in this area, including motorcycles, represent 10% of the total fleet registered in the province of Valencia.
It must be taken into account that floods and floods have also devastated many vehicles that circulated on highways and motorways, such as the A 3 and the A 7, as well as in certain neighborhoods and districts of the Valencian capitalwhich are not included because there is no disaggregated data.
The transport sector, very affected
The lack of vehicles in which DANA left an area as densely populated as the south and east of the Valencia metropolitan area This is one of the reasons why, since professional associations and the autonomous administration itself consider it one of the priorities the launch of help replace their cars beyond what the Compensation Consortium covers. A Renew the package emergency, as the autonomous employers’ association CEV now calls it, which considers that it is vital to try to regain the pulse of economic activity as quickly as possible.
The lack of means of transport in some regions, which will still take time to recover Cercanías and Metro, is one of the obstacles to returning to normal. A study carried out this week by the Polytechnic School of Valencia said that Ground Zero residents currently consider this their greatest need (35%)to be able to meet their needs and get to their place of work.
Added to this is a strong impact on a vital sector for the entire productive fabric, such as transport. The Valencian Federation of Transport and Logistics Entrepreneurs (FVET) It is estimated that the storm affected around 50% of the Valencian sector, in addition to destroying logistical nodes like the one around Ribarroja.
Employers in the sector are also asking for certain measures to be appliedGiven the circulatory chaos that we experience daily on the main roads open around the Valencia area and its accesses to ensure the supply of the metropolitan area, where more than 1.3 million people live.
Thus, it urges allowing specific corridors through lanes dedicated exclusively to heavy transporton duly organized routes within the city of Valencia or on main roads such as the V-30 or V-31. extend the hours authorized for the circulation of heavy goods vehicles which currently exist, by alternating the circulation of private cars and the circulation of heavy goods vehicles in time slots (for example, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
