King tides strip Volusia County beaches, putting recent sand project to test

King tides are dramatically reshaping parts of Volusia County’s coastline, pushing sand around and leaving many beaches bare — and the worst may not be over yet.Powerful waves have created steep drop-offs along the shoreline, with little to no buffer remaining between the water and seawalls in some areas. Volusia County officials say it’s too soon to fully assess the damage, with another high tide expected to bring even more trouble.The changes are especially visible at 27th Beachfront Park, where sand has been pushed aside, exposing seawalls that were once protected.“I just looked down and the foam was flying!” said Roni, a local resident.For beachgoers and longtime residents, the transformation has been startling.“It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve not seen it like this. We’ve lived up here for 40 years and never seen this before,” said Linda, a local resident.The situation is particularly frustrating along New Smyrna Beach, where the county completed a major sand placement project just m