Sunset Beach community staying strong during storm recovery

Long recovery effort on Sunset Beach

Weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted the Bay Area, large mounds of sand remain on Sunset Beach. Residents, though, are staying resilient, and local businesses have begun serving again.

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - Treasure Island's Sunset Beach community is working hard to recover after devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. While some businesses may not return, others like Ka'Tiki, which has been open for more than 45 years, reopened 21 days after the storm.

Night Manager Ken Gambill was working when the storm approached the Gulf.

"I'm actually a surfer and I was timing out the waves when they started to come in, about every 12th wave, one would come over the road here. It got down to every second wave, that's when I had everyone leave the bar and I barely made it home in my own vehicle," he said.

Ka'Tiki on Sunset Beach was hit with large amounts of sand during recent hurricanes. (Photo courtesy of Ka'Tiki)

He and other residents returned to an unrecognizable Sunset Beach that was inaccessible by vehicle.

"The sand was all the way to the bottom of the tiki hut... the roof, not the bar. It came over the bar. It took an 800-pound pool table, shifted it sideways," he said.

Ka'Tiki on Sunset Beach is back open after dealing with large amounts of sand following recent hurricanes.

Angie Corson, a 53-year resident, had to hike back to her home.

"Five feet of water. The sand behind you that's probably 25 feet high was throughout all of these streets and neighborhoods," she said. "In 53 years, I've never seen anything like this."

Angie Corson, a 53-year resident of Sunset Beach, says her home suffered serious damage caused by recent hurricanes.

Now, more than one month later, the roadways are clear. Corson was able to move back into her home and live in its second story.

"Every day is a new day," she said. "Businesses are coming back, which is a great thing. We struggled really hard. Everybody got together and worked together the best we could."

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