October 3, 2022 – Flagler County officials are urging residents to stay out of the Atlantic Ocean on Flagler’s beaches because of limited access, tons of debris, and potentially high bacteria levels.

“We know everyone is ready to get back to some semblance of normal life, but we are cautioning against swimming, surfing, or even walking in the ocean at this point in time,” said Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord. “Losing half the pier means there could literally be tons of debris in the water – things you may or may not be able to see, and things that could really hurt you.”

Officials in the city of Flagler Beach echo those concerns.

“We are also concerned about underwater debris off our shoreline, which may include large pieces of wood and electrical wiring washed away from our damaged Pier,” said City Manager William Whitson. “Hurricane Ian was a major storm that strewn debris across the State of Florida, and we’re concerned about additional hazardous items that maybe submerged and not visible to swimmers and surfers. Our primary concern is public safety, and we’re requesting the public avoid swimming in the ocean until we can better evaluate the situation.”

Additionally, the Florida Department of Health-Flagler just took samples of the Atlantic as part of its Coastal Beach Sampling Program to test for water quality and specifically bacteria levels.

“We typically test in four set areas, but we had to switch one spot because of access,” said John Bey, Environmental Health Section. “Test results should be back by the end of the week. Given the storm, it’s likely there will be elevated bacteria levels somewhere along the beach.”

Remaining dune walkovers may be structurally unsound.

“It’s our job to keep everyone safe,” Lord said. “Please be patient as we continue to assess the impacts from Hurricane Ian.”

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