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LUKE JOHNSON\/STAFF <\/p>\n
Kathy Popper walks along some erosion at Sunset Beach in Treasure Island. <\/p>\n
LUKE JOHNSON\/STAFF <\/p>\n
\"Before Debby, the beach was already narrow,\" said Ping Wang, from the University of South Florida. \"It took away 20 feet. However, 20 feet was all that it had.\" <\/p>\n
By KATE BRADSHAW | Tribune staff Published: January 08, 2013 Updated: January 08, 2013 - 12:00 AM<\/p>\n
While not a full-blown hurricane, Tropical Storm Debby still gutted stretches of the Pinellas County coastline and created financial problems for an area whose economy is highly dependent on beach tourism. <\/p>\n
Sunset Beach, an eclectic, close-knit community tucked into Treasure Island's out-of-the-way southern tip, was among the Pinellas beaches that saw the worst of the late-June storm. As Debby made landfall north of Cedar Key, storm surge and waves had already eaten their way through the beach and were working on the dunes here. <\/p>\n
Months later, the county is still not sure if it can restore Sunset Beach to what it once was. <\/p>\n
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Pinellas beaches still recovering from Tropical Storm Debby<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Video Photos Next Image > < Previous Image LUKE JOHNSON\/STAFF Kathy Popper walks along some erosion at Sunset Beach in Treasure Island. Continue reading