Coast cities still seek hurricane repairs as storm season begins

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - It officially begins. The 2022 hurricane season is here, and with predictions for another active season, South Mississippi cities are getting ready while still trying to get repair work going thanks to past storm damage.

“Hurricane Zeta was in 2020, and now we’re in June of 2022, and work is being done,” said Cecilia Dobbs-Walton, City of Biloxi spokesperson.

A $1.1 million repair effort is happening there, but across the street, the city’s still waiting on FEMA approval to repair the Lighthouse Pier, which was damaged by Zeta.

“The city can build back the same way, but Mayor Gilich has vowed to build it back stronger and better,” she said.

Down the road in Gulfport, they’re also waiting on FEMA money to redo the Libby Milner Roland Pier, also torn up by Zeta.

At the Long Beach Harbor, it’s still quiet after Zeta heavily damaged the marina. Long Beach is waiting for federal and state money to come in so they can redesign and rebuild the marina. These cities and others on the Coast are hoping the damage caused by a storm two years ago can be fixed before another storm from 2022 shows up on our doorstep.

“Where there’s damage, it’s just a process, Just like filing your insurance,” Dobbs-Walton added.

Want more WLOX news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2022 WLOX. All rights reserved.