ELECTRICAL items, books, clothes and pharmaceutical goods were among the list of items damaged by torrential rain that poured into businesses across the Mount Isa central business district yesterday.
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Employees in numerous businesses in Simpson Street began their work day sweeping water, scrubbing the damage and in some cases piling goods outside.
Water levels in businesses rose between 2.5 to about 10 centimetres, according to some business spokespeople.
Affected stores included Freckles Country World, Sissi’s Flowers Mount Isa, Best & Less and Harrison’s Book Country.
Water Mount Isa Village and businesses inside also fared badly because of the torrential downpour.
Mount Isa Kmart store manager Alysse Winter estimated significant stock damage to be thousands of dollars.
“Kmart itself fared quite well with only the receiving and stockroom area flooded, about an inch through,” she said.
Employees were trying to make sure laybys were not damaged.
Clothing stores and a chemist were also significantly impacted in the centre.
“Coles had some issues but are able to be cleaned up this morning [yesterday].”
Ms Winter said most of the water came through the ceiling with gutters unable to cope with the downpour.
Coles assessors were on site attempting to get businesses running as soon as possible.
But other stores in the centre were impacted too.
“Jay Jays, chemist and discount jeans have significant impacts with water up to five centimetres deep in places and again lots of stock damages,” she said.
It is unclear how badly the Harvey Norman in Miles Street was affected as the store manager could not be reached for comment – the phone line was not working. But a bright yellow sign on the front glass door said “closed until further notice due to flooding”.
Photographs published on Facebook showed water flooded over the curb in front of the electrical goods store about 3am.
Best & Less store manager Leah Pearson said the water was about 3.5 centimetres deep in some sections.
“There will be some stock written off,” she said. “It’s good we had rain, maybe not so much so quickly.”
The Buffs Club’s gaming room roof was also damaged in the storm.
The club’s president Strickland Teaukara would not make comment on the damage “at this stage”.
