Seashells accumulate on North Carolina beaches because of coronavirus travel restrictions

OUTER BANKS -- Thousands of seashells are piling up on beaches located in North Carolina's Outer Banks while tourists are being kept away because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Video from Cape Lookout National Seashore shows that waves have pushed countless seashells up onto the sand.

North Carolina beaches are sought after by seashell collectors because of the variety and volume of seashells available. Beaches in the area during the spring are usually more sand than shell because tourists have taken many of the seashells home.

According to the News & Observer, the shell overload can be directly linked to the coronavirus pandemic. That is because North Carolina's Stay-at-Home order has kept tourists from flocking to the beach and picking up the shells for themselves.

Road blocks and license checks have kept non-residents from getting to some of beaches and taking home the free spring break souvenirs.

It remains unclear how long the Outer Banks beaches will remain closed.

President Donald Trump released a phased approach Thursday aimed at reopening parts of the country in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, North Carolina's Governor said the Stay-at-Home order has been working, but he too has turned his sights on how to safely reopen the state in the not-too-distant future.