• 2 min de lectura
• 2 min de lectura
The president of the National Confederation of Truck Owners of Chile (CNDC), Juan Araya, met with the Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado, to address the crisis generated by the closure of Route 5 North after the meteorological event that affected the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo. Currently, there is a situation of broken land connectivity on Chile's main highway.
During the meeting, the union leadership emphasized that the blockages on the main thoroughfare of the national territory represent a direct impact on a strategic state asset, requesting priority both for the assistance of stranded transporters and for the prompt rehabilitation of the roads.
"We had an important conversation with Minister Alvarado; we mainly expressed two things in relation to the climatic catastrophe: one, the situation of the drivers who remain on the roads and, second, when connectivity will be restored," said Juan Araya.
In relation to these concerns, the Minister of the Interior confirmed that the Government is deploying a large-scale operation to overcome the critical phase of the emergency and safeguard the supply chain in the affected areas.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the section between Vallenar and La Serena presents severe structural failures due to the collapse of the road, which will require prolonged reconstruction work.
"He indicated that transport will have only one lane, but that the damage left by the climatic catastrophe is so significant that recovering the infrastructure will require a prolonged and costly effort. That the most important thing is supplies and that the priority is focused on that," commented the president of the CNDC.
On the morning of Thursday, July 23, the CNDC reported the start of a special road emergency operation on Route 5 North, designed to unblock the flow of cargo vehicles trapped by the inclement weather and ensure priority supply in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo. The strategy includes displacements escorted by Carabineros and military personnel.
It should be remembered that the storm that affected the "norte chico" of Chile caused multiple damages to the routes, paralyzing vehicle traffic on Route 5 in the Atacama Region, the country's main road and logistical axis. Sinkholes, floods, landslides, and collapses at different points of the highway forced its closure since Sunday, July 19.
