Island causeway floods minutes after being closed for Hurricane Ian, NC video shows
One of North Carolina’s coastal tourist hubs closed its causeway to traffic as Hurricane Ian neared, and police discovered it was not a minute too soon.
Within 20 minutes of closure, the vital two-lane road over the Intracoastal Waterway had vanished, according to the Sunset Beach Police Department. Sunset Beach is 155 miles south of Raleigh.
A video shared by police shows the road was not only underwater, but the current was also swift with “white-capped” waves.
It happened about a half-hour before Hurricane Ian made landfall (around 2 p.m.) near Georgetown, South Carolina, about 70 miles southwest of Sunset Beach.
Waves from the storm reached as high as 21 feet off the Carolinas, according to the National Weather Service Data Buoy Center.
Sunset Beach was under a tornado warning in the hours prior to landfall, and police began posting warnings that motorists should avoid the causeway due to 70 mph gusts, heavy rain and poor visibility.
“Water is beginning to breach the causeway to the island and we are closing the bridge at this time,” police said.
“Please do not attempt to drive around the barricades. ... We are also aware that the canals have breached the bulkheads in several areas on the island making driving island roads extremely dangerous. Please stay in place until the storm passes.”
Ian’s sustained winds were at 85 mph at the time of landfall. However, places like Shutes Folly, S.C., recorded winds of 92 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm’s impact was being felt up to 70 miles away, forecasters say.
Multiple watches and warnings have been issued for the North Carolina coast, including warnings for tornadoes, storm surge, flooding and high surf.
Sunset Beach police reported water had receded from the causeway around 5 p.m. Friday. However, travel lanes remained closed due to continued wind gusts near 70 mph. The bridge remains closed Oct. 1. while its structure can be assessed.
This story was originally published September 30, 2022 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Island causeway floods minutes after being closed for Hurricane Ian, NC video shows."