Outer Banks braces for Hurricane Erin with mandatory evacuations

IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. ALL RIGHT DAVE THANK YOU. STRONG WINDS ALSO AND FLOODING MAJOR CONCERNS TONIGHT AS AARON MOVES UP THE COAST. CHRIS PETERSON CONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE FROM THE OUTER BANKS FOCUSING ON WHAT COASTAL TRANSPORTATION LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS. HURRICANE’S POSSIBLE IMPACT. BREEZIER TODAY HERE ON THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA THAN IT WAS ON TUESDAY. AND THE WAVES ARE DEFINITELY ROUGHER HERE ON PEA ISLAND. D.O.T. CREWS ARE MAKING LAST MINUTE PREPS TO GET READY FOR WHATEVER IMPACTS THEY FEEL FROM HURRICANE AARON. AARON HAS NOT SHOWED US HER TEETH YET, AND THA’S WHAT CONCERNS D.O.T. OFFICIALS OUT HERE ON THE OUTER BANKS. IMPACTS ARE ALREADY BEING FELT. THIS IS A PICTURE FROM BUXTON WHERE SAND AND WATER WASHED OVER HIGHWAY 12 ON TUESDAY. THE ROAD IS NOW BACK OPEN. WE EXPECT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE IN A MORE SEVERE WAY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS THAN WE DID YESTERDAY. THAT’S WHY WORKERS SPENT THE DAY PREPARING HERE ON PEA ISLAND. THE DUNES ARE THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THE SEA FROM HIGHWAY 12. CREWS USED BULLDOZERS TO MOVE SAND FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE OCEAN SIDE TO REINFORCE THE DUNES AND PREVENT THE ROAD FROM WASHING OUT. IT’S VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO CLOSE NC 12, AND IF WE DO, THAT’S THE ONLY ROAD ON AND OFF HATTERAS ISLAND. SO IF THEY GET, YOU KNOW, IF THEY’RE STILL THERE, THEY COULD GET STRANDED. AND THAT’S WHY A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER IS IN PLACE FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS. I WAS AFRAID THAT MY CAR WOULD GET FLOODED. ELON PATRICK LIVES IN RODANTHE. HE SAYS HE ALWAYS LEAVES WHEN A STORM COMES THROUGH. IT IS HARD TO STAY WITH THE HURRICANE LIKE WEATHER PANEL BECAUSE THE POWER NORMALLY GETS CUT OFF AND YOU GET CUT OFF FROM THE INTERNET AND ALL THAT. SO THAT’S WHY I LEFT. EVEN THOUGH HURRICANE ERIN ISN’T EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL, D-O-T OFFICIALS SAY YOU STILL NEED TO TAKE THIS STORM SERIOUSLY. SOMETIMES PEOPLE SEE THAT MAP. THEY LOOK AT THE THEY LOOK AT THE DOTTED LINE AND THEY SAY IT’S GOING TO BE SO FAR OFFSHORE. I DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. WELL, THAT’S NOT THE CASE. THIS STORM IS SO WIDE AND HAS BEEN SO POWERFUL THAT IT’S PUSHED A LOT OF WATER TOWARD OUR COAST, AND THAT’S THE ISSUE THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE WITH THIS STORM. D-O-T OFFICIALS TELL ME THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN IS AROUND 8:00 THIS EVENING. THAT’S WHEN HIGH TIDE IS EXPECTED ON PEA ISLAND. I’