Severely Damaged Dunes
The Office of Emergency Management in Toms River announced that dunes had been damaged and that there was “minor” bayside flooding. However, there were no dune breaches that led to major flooding from the ocean and that the city would begin moving sand this week to repair the damage. Towns in southern areas of Ocean County, such as Beach Haven and Surf City, located on Long Beach Island, suffered building flooding while Wildwood and Sea Isle City experienced flooding as high as windows on cars. Many said the flooding was as bad as what was experienced during Superstorm Sandy.
Record High Tides
The water height gauge located at Banregat Bay at Mantoloking showed a water level that was 2.48 above flood stage on Sunday afternoon, after the storm had passed and shortly after peak high tide. According to the National Weather Service, water levels of three feet or higher are considered moderate and above four feet is considered major. The reading on the Banregat Bay water height gauge was categorized as “minor.” However, residents in some bayside areas said that two feet of water filled their streets, just as it had with other storms.
Water Turned to Ice
According to Marty Tellekamp who lives just south of Bay Avenue, his street filled with two feet of water that remained as temperatures fell throughout the afternoon. By nightfall, the water was a solid sheet of ice in the street since the water was not abated. This was caused by storm drains that were blocked by snow. Plows pushed additional snow over the storm drain and, after the water in the streets froze, it was unable to drain from the road. Toni Tomarazzo who also lives bayside said that there was three feet of water on Washington Street, calling it more than “minor” flooding. Many of the residents evacuated during the storm and returned to find streets that were solid sheets of ice from flood waters.
When dangerous weather is predicted in coastal communities, it may be necessary to evacuate. If you are not comfortable driving on roads when the weather is dangerous, contact Taxi and Car Service to help you move your family and important belongings to a safer location. Our experienced drivers are able to maneuver streets that may be slippery or wet, getting you to and from your home until it is safe for you to return. It is important to remember that belongings can be replaced but human lives cannot, which is why you can trust Taxi and Car Service to get you to and from any destination safely and economically. Contact us by phone or visit us online to see how we can help.
For all of your travel needs, call Exclusive Taxi and Car Service at 732-350-8294, or visit us on the web at www.exclusivetaxiandcarservice.com