
By Stephen Lamont
The ongoing extreme weather event in North Queensland has significantly impacted the signage industry, with businesses in Ingham and Townsville facing closures due to flooding, power outages, and damaged infrastructure.
Ingham, located just north of Townsville, has been particularly hard-hit, with sign businesses completely shut down due to a total power outage.
Some business owners fear potential damage to printing equipment, including moisture-related issues and damaged print heads, once power is restored.
Many business owners have had to physically check on their premises, navigating floodwaters to assess the situation.
Most homes have been inundated, with one business owner having to leave mid-conversation as emergency services arrived by boat for an evacuation. Businesses in the area are unlikely to reopen for weeks or months.
In Townsville, businesses were forced to close on Monday, with a few starting to reopen today. However, disruptions remain as some staff members live in areas that were evacuated and remain without power.
Those unable to return home may not be able to resume work for several more days. Some sign businesses in Townsville are not expected to reopen until mid-February.
A major challenge for the region currently is transportation. The main highway north has been cut off due to the collapse of the Ollera Creek bridge, further delaying recovery efforts.
With further heavy rainfall forecast, the full extent of the damage and recovery timeline remains uncertain.
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