Hurricane Ian has caused some beaches to close due to precautionary measures, according to officials.
Padre Island National SeashoreIf you’re considering going to some beaches, think twice. Hurricane Ian closed some beaches in Texas as a precaution. Padre Island National Seashore told MySA that its driving beach will be closed until Friday, September 30. However, officials said it was unclear whether they would be open over the weekend, as it would depend on the weather.
Mustang Island State Park also closed beach camping until Friday, according to the park’s social media posts. Mustang Island said it would check its Facebook if conditions warranted.
Hurricane Ian quickly intensified as it approached landfall on the southwest coast of Florida on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 28, The Associated Press reported. It has top winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), just below the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain battered the state, with the densely populated Naples to Sarasota area at the highest risk of a devastating storm surge, according to the Associated Press.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he has deployed a team and resources to Florida to help with hurricane relief efforts. He said they sent 45 personnel, four boats and two police dogs. The team, one of two statewide search and rescue teams under the Texas Department of Emergency Management, will be joined by power restoration workers, managers and support staff from CPS Energy in San Antonio.
They will assist the Jacksonville Power Authority in restoring power to affected customers after the storm.