Business owners off Main Street in Port Jefferson returned to check out the damage for the first time after Ida.

Neighbors say they are used to flooding in the area, but Ida caused the worst that they’ve seen in years.

Ruvo owner Joe DeNicola came to the restaurant with his employees to try to pitch in and get things running again.

“It’s hard, we work hard…we just got through the pandemic,” DeNicola says. “We had a situation one time like this…I just worry about my employees.”

Just outside the restaurant a car was abandoned in the flood. It had mud inside, and the fire department says they had to pull people off its roof.

Mayor Margot Garant says her heart goes out to the establishments affected and added that the community should come down and support their local businesses.

“We had a lot of rain come down last night, about 3 more inches, quicker and harder than last flash flooding we had in the village,” Garant says.

Theatre Three employees say the water reached levels it has never before and too close for comfort to the stage. Flood waters apparently knocked over and carried one of their dumpsters outside.

DeNicola says he’s estimating a $100,000 loss from the damages.

Other restaurant owners told News 12 they had weddings, parties, and rehearsal dinners planned for this long holiday weekend, and they are scrambling to get back in business as soon as possible.