HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C. — A state of emergency has been issued for Hatteras Island, along with a mandatory evacuation order for visitors that took effect at 8 p.m. Friday.
A mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for all visitors to Hatteras Island as a prolonged coastal storm continues to produce hazardous conditions and threaten roadway access.
Visitors are currently not permitted to enter Hatteras Island and will not be allowed to return until the storm system passes and conditions along Highway 12 improve. Although the highway remained open and is currently passable, the threat of ocean overwash and road closures continues.
The nor’easter is expected to remain offshore well into next week, with repeated high tide cycles posing a continuous threat to access. The next high tide is expected around 1:30 p.m. today and motorists are advised to prepare for potential road closures with little warning.
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, crews resumed clearing wind-blown sand from Highway 12 early Sunday morning. Workers are also working to address dune erosion near the Pea Island Visitor Center and the Canal Zone.
While crews continue working to maintain access, conditions are expected to deteriorate as the storm persists.
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