'Trees Were Snapped': Storm Damage Closes Wells Mills County Park

WARETOWN, NJ — Wells Mills County Park will be closed through the weekend after Thursday night’s storm uprooted large trees and damaged playground equipment.

Park officials will reassess the site on Monday to determine whether it’s safe to reopen the park to the public.

“Trees were snapped in half, and the playground equipment also sustained damage,” said Michael Mangum, director of the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation. “We have hundreds of trees down and until we can clear them, we will keep the park closed to the public for safety reasons.”

Wells Mills County Park is located in Waretown, where an EF2 tornado fueled by 115 mph winds struck Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Read more: 2 Tornadoes Confirmed In Ocean County During Severe Storm

The National Weather Service told the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation that the tornado touched down at the park.

Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy said other damaged areas of Ocean County include the dock area of Barnegat and part of Arnold Avenue on Long Beach Island where several homes suffered extensive damage. Read more: Suspected Tornado Rips Roofs Off NJ Homes In Path Of Destruction

“My office is assisting the National Weather Service in determining whether the damage was caused by tornadoes,” Mastronardy said.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office is working with the county Department of Parks and Recreation, the National Weather Service and local Offices of Emergency Management to document storm damage.

County officials will be taking aerial drone video in the areas of the damage. The work will be supervised by Captain Joseph Greene of the Sheriff’s Office Drone Unit and Captain David Schenk of the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management.

“We will continue to clean up our park sites and reopen them to the public once that work is complete,” said Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines, chairwoman of the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation. “Closing the park helps us keep the public and our staff safe. Public safety is paramount.”

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