Is it safe to go to the beach in Flagler County?

FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. — The video attached to this story is from a previous, related report.

Though much of Northeast Florida is returning to normal after Hurricane Ian, Flagler County officials say it is still not save to swim in the Atlantic Ocean on Flagler’s Beaches.

They are urging residents to stay out of the water because of limited access, debris, and potentially high bacteria levels. 

Remaining dune walkovers also be structurally unsound, officials say. 

Images and videos showed part of the Flagler pier washing away, part of what is causing the risk to beachgoers. 

“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.”

City Manager William Whiston also expressed concerns about safety.

“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,” he said. “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.”

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. Results should be delivered by the end of the year.