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The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber said four businesses in North End and one in Deal Party had their operations flooded on Tuesday, while 90% of manufacturers in Struandale were not able to operate due to a power outage since 3 AM.
Chamber CEO, Denise van Huysteen, said a survey of 78 businesses indicated that 81% were affected by the floods, with 62% reporting high absenteeism.
She said a further 35% of the businesses surveyed reported that their facilities were flooded, with Markman, Perseverance and Kariega the hardest hit.
"High absenteeism has been widely reported as a major issue across most businesses in the metro, with many manufacturers running limited operations or skipping shifts," said Van Huyssteen.
The Chamber also noted that this was the second flooding event in just four months and has highlighted the infrastructure maintenance challenges within the metro.
"Our view is that a lot of the damage during flooding or heavy rains can be limited if storm water drains are regularly cleaned and alien vegetation is removed from rivers."
Van Huysteen said the Markman area was reportedly the most impacted due to the area's poor state of infrastructure, while damage and disruptions were reported to business in areas such as Neave/Korsten, Perseverance, Baakens Valley, Kariega, Newtown Park and Deal Party.
She said the Chamber has opened up its premises as a drop-off point for supplies and is currently working with the Gift of the Givers to co-ordinate support for disaster relief efforts for those who have been affected.
