Property owners encouraged to brace for storm surge this winter [Video]

OFFICIALS ARE WARNING COASTAL MAINERS TO WATCH OUT FOR STORM SURGE THIS WINTER… AFTER MANY DUNES WERE WASHED AWAY LAST WINTER. THE DUNES HELP BLOCK WATER FROM REACHING PROPERTIES DURING STORMS. JACOB MURPHY IS IN OLD ORCHARD BEACH… ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES NOW VULNERABLE. JACOB, WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE CAN YOU SEE THERE? EVERYTHING TO THE RIGHT OF ME HERE USED TO BE DUNES… READY TO PROTECT PROPERTIES ALONG TOWNS LIKE OLD ORCHARD BEACH – AND THAT’S WHAT IT DID LAST WINTER EXCEPT WHEN THEY WERE WALLOPED BY THOSE TWO BACK-TO-BACK STORMS WE HAD IN DECEMBER. “A GOOD, EIGHT TO TEN FEET OF DUNE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE… AND IT’S GONE.” BETTY PHILLIPS OWNS BEACHFRONT PROPERTY HERE IN OLD ORCHARD BEACH. THIS IS WHAT HER PROPERTY LINE LOOKED BEFORE – AND AFTER – LAST YEARS STORMS… SHOWING JUST HOW MUCH OF THE DUNES HAD BEEN DESTROYED. BETTY PHILLIPS // …