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Following a stretch of heavy rain this past weekend, federal officials have closed Hains Point at the southern tip of East Potomac Park—a popular venue for picnicking, exercising, and watching planes take off and land at nearby Reagan National Airport—“until further notice.”
On Monday, the National Park Service said in a tweet that “high water and the potential for flooding” was the reason for the closure. It’s unclear when the area will reopen, particularly as forecasts for Hurricane Florence show the storm intensifying as it heads toward the East Coast and likely to drop multiple inches of rain on the mid-Atlantic region in just a few days.
Hains Point is closed until further notice due to high water and the potential for flooding.
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) September 10, 2018
Photos posted on Twitter on Sunday by WJLA reporter Victoria Sanchez depict water at the height of a bench at Hains Point and encroaching on the parkland. Authorities responded.
Hains Point closed! US Park Police just closed the park because of high tide and flooding. pic.twitter.com/1ekZKsVEuH
— Victoria Sanchez (@VictoriaSanchez) September 9, 2018
East Potomac Park is not the only place in the District where the recent rainfall has caused water to rise. Parts of the area around the Tidal Basin have also been inundated with water.
Mallards, egrets and herons running out of high ground along the Tidal Basin walkway on the west side of the Jefferson Memorial. #TurnAroundDontDrown pic.twitter.com/G7URSY4SUg
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) September 10, 2018