PORTSMOUTH — In pockets all over Scioto County, whether by water, wind, or power outages, businesses have suffered loss of time and productivity, ruined products, as well as flooding and other property damages, across countless locations that amount to millions.

According to Sarah Jane Livingston, Livingston and Co., Inc. had significant flooding onsite that damaged equipment, offices, and materials. The total expected loss is currently over $28,000 and rising as they find new issues.

“Unfortunately, we had to close the yard of Livingston and Co., Inc. on Friday for my mom’s funeral. While that was happening, both drains in the alley between the yard and Gallia Street began to clog with debris. The water flooded two sets of scales, the office, the breakroom and the entire warehouse,” Livingston said. “Thank the Lord for awesome employees. Sunday, all 12 of us, and a couple of good Samaritans, Tony Lockhart and Richard Balbirnie, stayed the day to help cleanup. Most of the damage is from all the debris and mud.”

Photos of a flooded Evans Food Group on Sixth Street were circulating on social media. The water reached the interior of the property and damaged materials, offices, and machinery.

Neighboring business, Distel Construction, was safer, receiving minimal damage inside, thanks to about three inches of raised water from flooding, as well as loss of work due to cleanup needs.

Shawnee State University had heavy flooding that caused damage to some dormitories, causing them to relocate students while damage is tended to. Shawnee State continues to evaluate their situation and is prepared to speak with the Times in more detail later in the week.

Businesses including the Lofts, Attention to Detail, Jim Dandy, and more had reported damage showing how broad the impact was.

Another consideration for damage comes from loss of production and hourly wages of employees due to temporary closures, as well as businesses losing products due to power outages. This can be minimal, such as with businesses like Portsmouth Brewing Company, which lost operational hours, but also as expensive as witnessed at Weavers West Portsmouth, where lengthy power outages caused nearly $20,000 in product to be ruined, as well as a loss of profit from potential sales during the closure and loss of product.

“We went without power between Friday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.” Weavers West Manager Lucinda Hodge explained. “We lost all our chicken and burgers, anything that we make in the kitchen, which is a big seller here; everyone loves the chicken. It was a big hit for us, but also for our employees, who lost hours. For regular people, that hits us hard.”

On Monday, Hodge said that the business would be stocked and ready to sell food again Tuesday, but there were still things left to do.

“There are power lines still down. The power company moved them and flagged them, but we’re still picking things back up,” Hodge said. “It is still better than Friday, when the doors were flying open, everything was going crazy and trash cans were going down the street.”

For the time being, Community Action Organization of Scioto County is asking businesses to reach out and report any loss or damage that may be reported to officials for evaluation.