Hurricane Irene Gives Beaches a Beating
Coastal leaders search for ways to renourish storm-ravaged coast.
The Lowcountry mostly steared clear of much of Hurricane Irene's high winds and flooding rains, but now coastal communities are raising concerns about beach erosion. Even 160 or so miles off the coast, Irene still brought strong storm surges that proved ravaging to local beaches. On Monday, officials in the three Charleston beach communities began planning for how they will renourish eroded sand. “We’re seeing lots of beach erosion,” said Folly Beach City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks. “We have about five homes that have been compromised.” On Monday, Folly Beach County Park on the west end of the island remained closed over fears about electrical wiring exposed during the storm. Folly Beach hasn’t looked this bad since 1993, when the …
