VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County’s message for anyone looking to visit coastal parks, drive on the beach and jump in the water during Hurricane Helene? Don’t.
The county has suspended beach driving and closed its coastal parks Thursday due to the storm, which is expected to continue strengthening throughout the day as it makes landfall in the Big Bend region as a major hurricane.
Beachgoers are urged to stay out of the water due to escalating marine hazards which include rip currents, higher-than-average tides and large waves, a news release states, adding red flags are currently being flown at Volusia County beaches and will be for the next few days.
[RELATED: CONE, MODELS, SATELLITE | COUNTY-BY-COUNTY impacts | TIMELINE: When Helene will impact Central Fla. | Here’s what the ‘dirty side’ of a storm means | LIVE RADAR | Watch vs. Warning | DOWNLOAD: WKMG-TV free hurricane app]
Facilities closed Thursday will begin to reopen starting Friday following safety assessments, according to the release.
For now, the Volusia County Citizens Information Center (will remain open until 6 p.m. to field storm-related inquiries at 866-345-0345, with updates otherwise available at Volusia.org or on the Volusia Beaches app.
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