Restaurant owner scrambles for safety after flooding in Hatboro
HATBORO, Pa. (CBS) -- Business owners ran from floodwaters Sunday while reliving the trauma of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
"We saw the river over here start to flood," said Azzah Kabbani, owner of Rozana Mediterranean Grill, on South York Road and South Warminster in the Bonnet Lane Plaza Shopping Center.
Staff was serving dinner around 7 p.m. Sunday, then started scrambling. A customer also ran out the door. Kabbani started throwing chairs and equipment on top of tables. She then went to higher ground and took a cellphone video from across the street.
"So, we closed the restaurant, and waited outside, and watching, and praying. That's what happened," Kabbani said.
All she could think about was September 2021, when Hurricane Ida sent two feet of water into the restaurant, which at the time had been open for less than a year.
"It's like here. Really, it was like here," Kabbani, pointed to her waist. "So, I get the memory and I was praying yesterday, because I don't want to lose my restaurant once again."
The restaurant was closed for a month. In 2023, the restaurant made out better. Sunday, the floodwaters came into the restaurant but receded just as quickly as they came. Kabbani was grateful the damage was not worse.
"Actually only, thanks God, two inches," Kabbani said.
The trauma of two years before still haunts her.
"Really, it was so scary as I told you I tried to get everything out because I don't want to be rescued once again," Kabbani said.
The Montgomery County Department of Public Safety reported 14 water rescues in the county. However, the staff at Rozana did not need to be rescued. Instead, they planned to reopen for dinner as scheduled on Tuesday.
