While beaches are usually jam packed for Fourth of July weekend, this year Gulf Coast beaches proved to attract more cleanup workers than sunbathers.
It was clear that beaches were not as crowded as usual and because of that restaurants and hotels lost business as well.

Beaches in Pensacola, Florida as well as beaches in Mississippi were close to empty this past holiday weekend.

Beach cleanup efforts have by hindered since Tuesday as Hurricane Alex wreaked havoc in the region. Meanwhile, BP was facing fresh criticism over its safety measures as it became obvious the company failed to use a standard industry process, known as safety case, to keep tabs on the Deepwater Horizon rig.

The oil gusher from April’s BP oil well spill continues to release between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico daily.

Source: New York Daily News