"Stay away from here": Warning about ice "shrapnel" coming off beach

SCITUATE, Mass. -- People are being warned about ice "shrapnel" coming off the beach in the coastal town of Scituate, Massachusetts, CBS Boston reports. Scituate Town Administrator Jim Boudreau urged people not to come to the waterfront to watch the tide during a winter storm that's hitting the area.

He said the high winds and a high tide will force ice projectiles from the water "to come up and actually act like shrapnel coming off the beach."

"We want people to stay away from here," Boudreau said. "This seems to be a spectator sport at times, people like to come down and look at the ocean, but again when those waves start coming and hit that sea ice, they're going to send pieces of that ice flying."

Residents along the water were asked to evacuate before 10 a.m. Thursday amid warnings of moderate to major flooding.

Scituate High School has opened as an emergency shelter with about 50 cots. Officials said more cots will be added as needed.  

Blizzard conditions were expected on the coast of New England on Thursday, and residents were bracing for possible flooding and power outages as a result. A blizzard warning has been issued from Cape Cod to the Maine coast from 1 a.m. Thursday through 1 a.m. Friday.