Coastal erosion caused by king tides and strong onshore winds has affected a section of beachfront parking on Ocean Drive in Vero Beach, prompting officials to contact park officials about public safety measures. The area is one of the erosion hot spots officials have identified along the coast.
Quintin Bergman, the resource manager with Indian River County, is monitoring the damage along the Vero Beach boardwalk. He said the erosion is approaching severe as the two weather events continue to affect the shoreline. “I would classify this as leaning more on the severe side of erosion. It's not extreme by any means, but definitely we are very concerned,” Bergman said.
The forecast calls for elevated winds for a few more days, and king tides will continue to affect the water level, Bergman said. “We're still in the middle of this. We're not through with the weather event. The forecast is showing elevated winds for a few more days, and the king tide event is still going to be affecting the tide.” Officials plan to assess the damage after the weather event passes.
Beachgoers have also noticed changes to the shoreline. Svetlana Ryan was among those still enjoying the view in Vero Beach despite the erosion. “We noticed because there was so much sand before, and now it's just a wall. But you do with whatever you have to do here in Vero Beach,” Ryan said.