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.

The storm flooded parts of North Carolina's Outer Banks, including a section of the main highway. It's now turning away from the East Coast, but dangerous surf and rip currents are likely from Florida to Maine.

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.

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

Even before storm surge warnings were issued in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, ocean overwash started inundating shoresides homes and hotels. Transportation crews hustled to shore up dunes in the hopes of at least delaying the wash out of the critical road in and out of the area – Highway 12.

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.

Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions from Hurricane Erin are forecast for the Outer Banks of North Carolina starting Wednesday evening. At 5 p.