Swimmers advised to avoid water at 5 more Mississippi Coast beaches, 7 total

Beachgoers are being advised to avoid contact with the water or face an increased risk of illness in five more locations along the Mississippi Sound in Harrison County.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued the water-contact advisories on Thursday afternoon as part of its Beach Monitoring Program.

“These beaches are not closed,” MDEQ advised in a news release, “However, there may be an increased risk of illness associated with swimming in these areas.”

Water samples indicate bacteria levels are high in the following areas:

• Pass Christian Central Beach — Henderson Avenue east to Hiern Avenue.
• Pass Christian East Beach — Espy Avenue east to Hayden Avenue.
• Gulfport West Beach — Marie Avenue east to Camp Avenue.
• Gulfport Harbor Beach: 20th Avenue east to Thornton Avenue.
• Gulfport Central Beach: Alfonso Drive east to Arkansas Avenue.
• Advisories remain in effect for Pass Christian West Beach and Long Beach from Oak Gardens Avenue to Girard Avenue.

MDEQ lifted an advisory for Biloxi East Central Beach, from Saint Peter Street east to Dukate Street.

Also, MDEQ says, swimming in the Mississippi Sound is inadvisable for 24 hours after a significant rainfall.

Anita Lee

Sun Herald

601-909-0638

Anita, a Mississippi native, graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Support my work with a digital subscription