Storm damage at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach will set Manatee County back some cash.
County information outreach manager Nicholas Azzara wrote in an Aug. 12 email to The Islander that the Aug. 9 storm that brought a waterspout ashore caused $3,370 in damages.
The waterspout occurred at about 6:15 p.m. After crossing over the shoreline, the twister knocked over an old lifeguard stand, destroyed a $2,700 changing station and a $220 picnic table, as well as toppled three buttonwood trees valued at $450 altogether.
No injuries were reported.
Azzara said the lifeguard stand was scheduled for demolition Aug. 10, “so no loss there.” The structure was disassembled and removed the week ending Aug. 14.
A new changing station will be “added to the construction team’s list of projects,” and the buttonwood trees “eventually” will be replaced, according to Azzara.
County parks and natural resources operations manager Carmine DeMilio led the debris removal.
DeMilio’s crew used a lightning loader, a truck equipped with a lifting arm and a dumpster bucket, to remove heavy debris, such as the fallen trees. A tractor was used to remove the changing room.
The county will file insurance claims for the damage.
“Hopefully, most of those losses will be covered,” Azzara wrote.