Storm drives tires on to island beach

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE, Md. – (AP) Thousands of tires from a man-made underwater tire reef have washed up on the shore of Assateague Island as a result of last week's storm.

Assateague Island National Seashore spokeswoman Rachelle Daigneault said Tuesday that close to 2,000 tires are currently on the beach. Daigneault says crews and volunteers will start clearing them away Wednesday. The tires will be taken to a facility in Ocean City to be disposed of.

Daigneault says the tires were probably from a reef off of Ocean City. Tire reefs were built in many places in an attempt to foster marine life.

A good portion of the southern part of the island was flooded. Crews planned a helicopter flight Tuesday to further assess the damage.

The Assateague Island National Seashore sits off of Virginia and Maryland.