N.J. beaches hit hard by storm

SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Several Jersey shore towns are trying to figure out how they'll replenish their beaches after a storm moved up the coast last week, causing tidal flooding and beach erosion.

From 3rd to 15th Avenue, North Wildwood beaches were left with massive drop offs, and several beach access points were closed.

"Last Monday the beach was fine," said Mike Ginipro from West Deptford, N.J. "No beach erosion at all everything was fine. This week you can't get down to the beach hardly."

"We had very large waves. Very high tides last week. Did a lot of damage. We've lost anywhere between 3/4 of a million to a million cubic yards of sand over the past couple weeks," said North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello.

The mayor hopes the state department of environmental protection will come through with financial help, as it has before, to help the city replenish the beach in the spring... again.

"They re-did it all last year. They filled it back up to there. But I didn't expect that at all when I got down here," said Ed Zukowski from Northeast Philadelphia, surprised to see the severity of the erosion.

In Avalon, where there's a 20 foot drop off, folks are preparing for a beach replenishment project to start within the next week. About half a million cubic yards of sand will be pumped into the shore with help from the Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

"In the absence of this beach fill, we would have taken emergency measures to shore up the beach. Sand's number one function is resiliency and protection for the town. And it's meant to be sacrificed so Avalon's very fortunate that we have a project starting next week," said Scott Wahl, business administrator for Avalon.

Certain beach access points are blocked off where the drop offs are especially steep. Officials want people to heed those signs and blockages so no one gets hurt trying to get onto the beach.