GULFPORT, Fla. — Businesses trying to recover from shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic were dealt another devastating blow Wednesday night as storm surge flooded stores and restaurants in Gulfport.
JP Brewer, who owns Salty's, was just one of those businesses. The nautical-themed bar on Shore Boulevard South was filled with water that appeared knee-deep as it encroached on the walls, bases of tables and banisters.
Owners of several other stores along Beach Boulevard also tell 10 Tampa Bay that they have been flooded and are "devastated."
Gulfport along with Pinellas County is under a flood warning until 11:45 p.m. Rainfall estimates for the area show between 5.7 and 8.3 inches of rain have fallen within the last 24 hours.
What other people are reading right now:
- Tracking Eta: Tropical Storm Eta produces heavy rain, packs 70-mph winds
- How to check for a power outage during Tropical Storm Eta
- 1 person dead after crews respond to report of electrocution in Bradenton Beach amid Tropical Storm Eta
- What you need to know about Tropical Storm Eta before you go to bed
- Models predict Tampa Bay could see 15,000 daily COVID-19 cases by Jan.
- Women have served US armed forces since Revolutionary days, but combat ban wasn't lifted until 2013
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter