It is impossible to forget the furious flow of water that penetrates with the force of a mountain torrent into the underground car park and inside the Ipercoop Lungo Savio in the tragic days of the river’s flood. And where the memory fades, the images of that disaster are fixed in dozens of videos and thrilling photos. In the days following the invasion of the water, what can be seen in the limited light that penetrates from the outside, since all the systems are out of order, are collapsed shelves, floating goods, refrigerators in the dark, damaged furnishings. The photoelectric pumps are joined by water pumps. The water saturated the large underground car park, a trapped car made people fear the worst. The tom tam makes it clear that no one was stranded but the devastation is total. The quantification of the damage is still imprecise, but today, one year after the disaster, it is around 4 million euros for the structure alone. To these should be added those referring to damaged goods and lost sales.
“And yet – says Iolanda De Simone, regional director of Coop Alleanza 3.0 – after 38 days we reopened”. And in that month or so there wasn’t just frenetic restoration work, Coop Alleanza 3.0 did everything possible to avoid leaving its members without spending by activating temporary stores and strengthening online sales with direct deliveries to home.
However, not everything has yet regained its pre-flood dimension. There are narrowed eyes in the shopping arcade. At least 30% have not reopened their doors. “Not everyone had our resources to start again – says Iolanda De Simone – especially since there was a lack of economic support for small businesses”. A turnover has already begun. In recent days the laundry has reopened and by September the launch of a larger structure, still in the contract phase, is expected. But the children’s clothing store, the sports clothing store and others threw in the towel. “The opportunity of the restoration, however – adds De Simone – offered us the opportunity to renew a good part of our store. We introduced new services and carried out a change in the assortment of some products, especially the fresh ones”. In addition to the commercial part, the systems have also been subject to improvements. “The experience – says De Simone – has led us to place differently the control units of the systems, both refrigeration and fire prevention, which before the flood were in the basement. Now they are on the ground floor and positioned high up so that, in case of flooding of the Savio, are safer”.
