Hurricane Erin battered North Carolina's Outer Banks with strong winds and waves that flooded part of the main highway and surged under beachfront homes before slowly moving away.

Beachfront property owners braced for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday.

A "wild" video shows the moment waves from Hurricane Erin crashed into homes in the Outer Banks. The North Carolina homes were protected by stilts as the water rushed down the street and around them, according to the video, which was published by The New York Post. The Post referred to the water as a "tidal surge."

High tide Thursday evening could bring more damage to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, even as Hurricane Erin spins away into the Atlantic Ocean. The tide was to come in at 7:10 p.

People in the Outer Banks should shelter in place, authorities said. Meanwhile, life-threatening rip currents are likely at beaches along the East Coast, according to forecasters.

Local officials issued evacuation orders for parts of the Outer Banks, warning that the storm might wash out roads.

Two coastal homes in Rodanthe, North Carolina, appear on the verge of collapse as Hurricane Erin's wind and waves lash the East Coast.

Tropical storm conditions and coastal flooding are expected to appear in areas along the Outer Banks starting late Wednesday.

Hurricane Erin is expected to impact the Outer Banks in North Carolina, sending massive waves crashing into the islands.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the coastal regions of Virginia, the Outer Banks, Pamlico Sound, and the Eastern Shore. A coastal flood warning is in place from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon for coastal areas in Hampton Roads, on the Eastern Shore, and on the Outer Banks.

The NCDOT shut down all lanes of the highway on Ocracoke Island between the Northern Ferry Terminal and the National Park Service Pony Pens last night until further notice. Lanes will also stay closed on Hatteras Island from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Hatteras Village.