Surf City, New Jersey — A shark was spotted swimming through flooded residential streets on Long Beach Island this weekend as a powerful nor’easter brought major coastal flooding, strong winds and widespread disruptions across New Jersey and other parts of the East Coast.
A local resident captured video of the unusual sight in Surf City on Saturday, showing a fish moving through several feet of floodwater near a residential driveway. The footage showed its dorsal fin breaking through the water as the animal appeared to swim directly toward the property.
The unexpected visitor quickly caught the attention of people watching from nearby.
‘Is That a Little Shark?’
Video obtained by ABC News shows the shark swimming through the floodwaters near a woman’s driveway.
“Is that a little shark?” a woman asks in the clip.
“Oh my God, he’s coming this way.” Although the sight of a shark moving through a neighborhood may sound alarming, experts said there was no reason for residents to fear a dangerous predator.
The animal appeared to be a dogfish, a type of shark commonly found in the region and known for lacking the large, sharp teeth associated with larger predatory sharks.
Dr. Greg Skomal, a white shark expert with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, identified the animal as likely being a harmless dogfish based on the video.
Floodwaters Reached Homes on Long Beach Island
The shark reportedly swam toward a resident’s home as Barnegat Bay overflowed into parts of Surf City, sending seawater through streets and residential areas.
Surf City was among the communities on Long Beach Island dealing with severe coastal flooding as the nor’easter moved along the East Coast.
Some areas were inundated by as much as four feet of water, creating conditions in which marine animals could temporarily move into areas that are normally dry land.
The unusual shark sighting was therefore directly connected to the extent of the coastal flooding.
As water from the bay moved into neighborhood streets, fish and other marine life could be carried farther inland than they would normally travel.
Powerful Nor’easter Brings Widespread Flooding
The shark was only one unusual consequence of a much larger weather event. A powerful nor’easter battered portions of the East Coast, producing significant coastal flooding and strong winds.
Wind gusts reached up to 70 mph in some areas, while thousands of people experienced power outages as the storm affected coastal communities.
The combination of strong winds, high water levels and coastal surge created dangerous conditions along portions of New Jersey and neighboring states.
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For residents near Barnegat Bay and other coastal waterways, streets that are normally used by cars and pedestrians were temporarily transformed into channels of seawater.
A Shark Sight That Residents Won’t Forget
While flooding created serious problems for communities across the region, the dogfish sighting gave residents an especially unusual moment to remember from the storm.
The animal’s appearance in the neighborhood was made possible by the extraordinary amount of water covering the area. What looked at first like a potentially dangerous shark encounter turned out to involve a species considered harmless to people.
Dogfish are commonly found in coastal waters, making their presence in the area itself unusual but not necessarily surprising once floodwaters pushed farther inland.
For the resident who filmed the encounter, however, seeing a shark’s dorsal fin moving through a flooded residential street was certainly an unexpected sight.
The video serves as a striking reminder of just how far coastal floodwaters can travel during powerful storms.
As the nor’easter moved away, residents were left dealing with the more serious consequences of the storm, including flooded streets, property impacts, dangerous winds and widespread power outages.
And for one Surf City neighborhood, the storm also brought an unforgettable visitor from the sea.
Would you have been shocked to see a shark swimming past your driveway during a flood? Tell us what you would have done if you spotted one in your neighborhood, and share your thoughts in the comments.
