Assateague Island, MD – Chincoteague Beach at Assateague Island National Seashore has been closed indefinitely after Hurricane Erin’s powerful storm surge and tidal flooding caused severe damage, the National Park Service announced Friday.

All beach parking areas have been rendered unusable, with officials reporting entire lots overwashed, scoured, and in some cases buried beneath as much as five feet of sand. The Tom’s Cove Visitor Center has also been shut down due to storm impact.

The National Park Service is urging the public to avoid the beach entirely, citing active cleanup efforts involving heavy construction equipment and unsafe conditions throughout the area.

“There is significant damage to infrastructure, and we’re working with urgency to restore access,” said officials with t

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