Hurricane Erin effects being felt by beaches and businesses on Long Island's East End

Hurricane Erin is causing Long Island beaches to close. The Town of Southampton has declared a state of emergency because of the life-threatening rip current.

Waves are crashing hard in Hampton Bays over the rocks separating the Shinnecock Inlet from Dune Road, as the higher-than-usual tide from Hurricane Erin is pushing the rough water closer to land.

“It’s gotten windier now, the waves were wild," said Larisa Minardi, of Centereach.

Beaches in Westhampton are closed to keep swimmers safe.

The Town of East Hampton also closed its beaches to swimming and foot traffic.

Kite surfers still went in the water early Wednesday afternoon in the Shinnecock Inlet.

The tide is flooding parts of Dune Road in Westhampton Beach and Hampton Bays.

“High tide tonight, it’ll be bad. It broke through at Shinnecock on the road," said Jill Kelly, of Eastport.

The hurricane, which is located miles offshore, is also putting a damper on the end of the summer season at restaurants like Sundays on the Bay.

"I definitely see an effect happening here. The restaurant has slowed down a little bit. Staff haven’t been getting as much money," said Sarah Montalvo, manager of Sundays on the Bay.

Montalvo says the storm is keeping customers and boaters away. Those boaters usually gas up at the business’s docks, another stream of income for the restaurant.

Beach erosion is also expected to happen because of the strong waves hitting the shores out east.

The Town of East Hampton is placing additional sand at its beaches to help protect the dunes.

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