High surf wipes out Pea Island dunes on North Carolina’s Outer Banks; flooding on NC 12

RODANTHE, N.C. (WNCN) — High surf knocked down the dunes along the North Carolina Outer Banks Sunday afternoon, covering the main highway at the coast with water and sand.

The incident happened just after 1:30 p.m. along N.C. 12 near the Pea Island Visitor Center on Pea Island in the Rodanthe community, according to the Dare County Sheriff’s Office.

“There is ocean overwash coming across NC 12, but it is passable,” deputies said in a news release.

About two hours later the North Carolina Department of Transportation said it had stopped surf from flooding the road.

“Our crews closed the breach in the dune with a berm today, and will begin working to rebuild the dune in the coming week,” the NCDOT said in a short news release.

Traffic cameras at the coast showed construction equipment working on the road around 5:30 p.m. Several cars were driving on the sand-covered road with waves nearby.

“Please use caution when traveling in this area,” deputies said.

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