NCDOT officials said "given the winds, wave heights and storm surge forecast, it likely won't be enough" to keep NC 12 from flooding at the Outer Banks.

Several days of heavy surf and high winds and waves could wash out parts of NC 12, which connects the popular vacation spot to the mainland, the National Weather Service said.

Mandatory evacuations are underway for parts of the Outer Banks, including Dare and Hyde counties and various islands, as Hurricane Erin draws closer.

In a 10 On Your Side interview with Drew Pearson, director of emergency management for Dare County, he shares what he expects the impacts of Hurricane Erin to be on the Outer Banks while talking about the danger of storm surge.

With the threat of Hurricane Erin growing, a state of emergency was issued Sunday in portions of the Outer Banks — prompting evacuations. The Outer Banks is a popular summer vacation hub in North Carolina for many families in Western Pennsylvania.

See the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in the U.S. Plan your visit for the fall, when the temperatures are still mild and the summer tourists have left. “There are things we just don't have here,