Volusia County residents urged to stay alert for beach hazards left by Hurricane Ian

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly a month after Hurricane Ian hit Central Florida, Volusia County officials say they’re still dealing with lingering problems along the coastline.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Volusia County government leaders say it could take more than a year to repair all the damage done to the beaches by Hurricane Ian.

READ: Hurricane Ian: Closure of Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford extended

The damaged walkways, collapsed seawalls and debris left to be cleaned up have had an impact on tourism and local businesses.

Many of the beach approaches have been closed since Hurricane Ian struck, making it difficult for people to gain access.

“Some of the new threats are debris on the beach, collapsed sea walls,” Volusia County Beach Safety Deputy Chief Tammy Malphurs said in a video the county government posted to social media warning people of the dangers lingering along the coast from Hurricane Ian. “My biggest fear is if any of these collapse and someone is near it and gets hurt.”

READ: 2 killed in shooting at St. Louis high school; gunman dead

The county is working with the state and federal government to fix what it can, but it says the smaller beach and high tide put limits on what it can do to remove debris, do inspections and make repairs.

Additionally, those repairs must be done outside of sea turtle nesting season, which usually runs from May through October.

James Gavin, who runs Ocean Inlet Surf Shop, says his customers have had to find new ways to access the beach.

READ: Military officials consider ending armed forces COVID-19 vaccine mandate

“We have actually had a lot of customers coming in and taking our bikes to surf,” Gavin said. “I had a lot of friends take an electric bike here to the jetty.”

County officials say they don’t know yet how much it will cost to fix the damage. They say that will depend heavily on the specific repairs that are needed.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2022 Cox Media Group