Former U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Forced to Leave East Hampton Beach Due to Hurricane Irene
In an unexpected turn of events, former U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had to leave East Hampton Beach barefoot after beach patrol informed him that the area was closed because of Hurricane Irene.
Blinken, who was enjoying a relaxing day at the beach with a friend, hastily gathered his belongings, including a beach chair and a cooler, and swiftly exited the area, leaving onlookers surprised and amused by the sudden situation.
On Thursday, Blinken was spotted soaking up the sun and sand at Georgica Beach, lounging on his beach chair with a portable bag and cooling supplies when beach officials approached him. According to reports, the former minister was compelled to quickly collect his items and move away from the water, abruptly cutting short his beach outing as planned.
What was meant to be a peaceful and tranquil escape turned into a rather awkward moment in front of the public as Blinken sought to enjoy some time away from the demands of diplomatic work. He packed up his things urgently, including his beach chair, tote bag, and cooler, leaving the beach without delay as the patrol monitored the area for compliance with the closure due to hazardous weather conditions.
The closure of the beaches on the East Coast was a precautionary measure in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, which was expected to bring coastal flooding and elevated water levels along the shore through the weekend, although its intensity was predicted to lessen gradually. As noted by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the storm had weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 90 miles per hour but still posed risks to coastal beaches and waters.
Blinken wasn’t the only one affected by the closure; ferry services in several areas were canceled, and beaches in Cape Cod and Boston were closed to visitors and swimmers. Authorities also issued coastal flooding warnings in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. Moreover, tens of thousands were evacuated from the most vulnerable islands in North Carolina as wave heights reached dangerous levels.