Hurricane Katrina News Release #13
This is an important message from the Walton County Emergency Operations
Center and the Public Information Office of Walton County.
The Beaches of South Walton will reopen on Wednesday, August 31, 2005,
but double red flags are flying and water activities are prohibited
until further notice. Beachgoers are urged to use caution and
protective foot wear when on the beach. Debris may be just beneath the
sand on the beach.
The Emergency Operations Center and the Tourist Development Council are
evaluating the water conditions daily.
Updates:
U.S. 98 in Okaloosa County is open
The I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay is now open
The 3-Mile Bridge between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze is open
Garcon Point Bridge is open and tolls will be reinstated on Wednesday at
6 am.
For information about road closures and evacuation information call
1-800-342-3557.
Evacuees desiring information on Louisiana/Mississippi should call
1-866-438-4636
Anyone desiring to donate assistance in the relief efforts should call
1-800-FL HELP 1(1-800-354-3571)
Want to help? Visit
www.volunteerflorida.org.
To report price gouging call the Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services at 1-800-435-7352.
We have received a number of calls regarding road closures and
accessing Beaches of South Walton due to the storm. We are referring
visitors the Department of Transportation in each state so they may plan
alternate routes. See contact info below.
In addition, many accommodations are housing evacuees from affected
states who may wish to contact FEMA. Please have them call FEMA at
1-800-621-3362.
Last but not least, we've had a number of questions regarding debris
removal prior to Labor Day. Crowder-Gulf is still under contract and
will continue completing the third pass. If you have specific concerns,
please contact the TDC.
Department of Transportation Contact Information
Alabama Department of Transportation website:
http://www.dot.state.al.us/docs
Phone: 334-242-6358
Florida Department of Transportation website:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/
866-374-FDOT (3368
Mississippi Department of Transportation website:
http://www.mdot.state.ms.us/
601 359-7017
Louisiana Department of Transportation website:
http://www.dotd.state.la.us
(225) 379-1232
We are fortunate in that Beaches of South Walton experienced a
relatively small storm surge from Hurricane Katrina. We are currently
assessing the status of our beaches, however it appears the area faired
very well with only minor dune erosion.
The beaches are currently closed until the water recedes, which is
expected to occur within the next 24 hours. Once the beach reopens,
beachgoers will be urged to use caution as there may be debris on the
beach and in the water.
We anticipate there will be minimal debris, since all three passes of
debris removal from Hurricane Dennis were nearly complete before the
storm arrived. Fortunately, no boardwalks were destroyed and the TDC
will continue rebuilding the 21 dune walkovers to provide beach access
to each community.
It appears that the emergency beach scraping efforts were successful and
that very little "new" bluff or dune erosion has occurred. No additional
erosion is expected. In addition, it appears that Katrina pushed some of
the sand taken off our beaches from Dennis back on shore.
