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Heavy Winds, High Tides Could Cause Coastal Damage In New Jersey

HIGHLANDS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - High winds and high tide created the perfect combination for disaster in coastal areas of New Jersey Monday.

CBS2's Meg Baker spoke with some residents who are still working to rebuild after the debilitating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Highlands Councilman Doug Card and his wife, who are just nearing completion on their home that was washed out by Superstorm Sandy, watched the winds and high tide during one of the first major storm surges to hit the coast since Sandy.

"Highlands has implemented our storm readiness plan," Card said.

The borough of 5,000, located where the Shrewsbury River meets Sandy Hook Bay, experienced a storm surge of nearly 10 feet in 2012 that severely damaged 800 of 1,200 lower Highlands homes.

As of Monday evening, winds in the Highlands were blowing to the northeast. Residents had hoped the winds would shift northwest before the next high tide at 11 p.m., blowing the water out to sea.

"A lot of residents are in the middle of the process and there is a fear that the flooding is going to come back and cause problems," Card said.

Further down the coast, Baker caught a few Ortley Beach residents getting out of town.

"When I saw the ocean now I can't get over it, it's unbelievable. I was looking out there and I said, 'Oh my God, don't tell me it's coming out again,' and it looks that way and I think they should do something to preserve our beach because this is horrible, can't deal with it," Raffaela Muscarella said.

"I was looking at this storm, getting now low to high, and I have a feeling this water may be breaching in some areas, some vulnerable areas that hurt us during Sandy," Giulio Poli said, who rode out Hurricane Sandy.

Heavy Winds, High Tides Could Cause Coastal Damage In New Jersey

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden told WCBS 880's Jim Smith he has the county's high-water vehicles out on patrol.

"We do have one stationed in the low line areas, up in the Bay Shore, just in case we do have some overight flood advisories," he said.

Sand bags line homes with no protection from the rising tides, Baker reported.

With no dunes, the waves were crashed a few feet from the base of what used to be the Shore Club, which was completely dismantled by Sandy.

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