Beach area near Bob Hall Pier closed to clean up debris from Hurricane Hanna

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Here’s a shot from the beach of the damage. Corpus Christi Caller Times

A portion of the beach near the Hurricane Hanna-damaged Bob Hall Pier will be closed long-term to clean up debris. 

Scott Cross, director of coastal parks, said the area surrounding the parking lot near Bob Hall Pier will be closed immediately. That area is between Access Roads 4 and 6, he said. 

Hurricane Hanna made landfall Saturday at 5 p.m on Padre Island. The storm made a second landfall 15 miles north-northwest of Port Mansfield.

“We lost 159 linear feet of pier that we know of,” Cross said during a news conference Tuesday morning. 

Debris from the parking lot and the pier, among other items, was  found. The debris includes wire, rebar and concrete.

Bob Hall Pier will require a structural analysis by engineers to determine the extent of damage. That may take up to 30 days. 

Deck panels had been forced up along the path of the pier, and railings, power lines and light poles were destroyed by the surge, Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said. 

Extensive beach cleanup will also take place. The county will work with the General Land Office for beach re-nourishment, Canales said. 

County officials will also work with state representatives to identify sources of funding for cleanup. There is not cost estimated for a rebuild of Bob Hall Pier. 

Pedestrian access will be prohibited around Bob Hall Pier until further notice.

Nueces County Commissioner Brent Chesney, who represents the area surrounding the pier, urged people to stay away. Law enforcement has been near the pier to keep people away, he said. 

Horace Caldwell Pier will also be inspected to make certain it is structurally sound. 

“We were on that northwest quadrant of the hurricane. What I know is you don’t want to be on that northwest quadrant,” Canales said. “This wasn’t a wind and water event, it was not an excessive water or wind event.” 

Instead, Hurricane Hanna brought a storm surge of 5.47 feet, Canales said. The second highest storm surge was brought by Hurricane Ike in 2008 at about 4.3 feet.

Though the storm brought damage, COVID-19 restrictions and precautions may have saved the area from more destruction. 

Berms were set up to prevent vehicles from entering county beaches, in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those berms are credited for saving the integrity of several parking lots and access road, Canales said. 

“All in all, we took all those necessary precautions to protect life and property,” she said. “I do believe lives were saved. We had no loss of life during Hurricane Hanna.”

Hanna brought flooding to North Beach and portions of downtown. Sunday, city crews began removing sand that washed inland on North Beach. 

“We did not dodge a bullet,” State Rep. Todd Hunter said. “Anyone that says we dodged a bullet, we did not. It was 6 mph less than a category 2 hurricane. That is severe.” 

Alexandria Rodriguez covers breaking news and crime in South Texas.Support local news by checking out our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe  

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