OUTER BANKS, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein says the state "dodged a bullet" when Hurricane Erin made its way north over the Atlantic this week.
Watch full briefing: Gov. Stein gives update after assessing Dare County damage
The governor is in Dare County Friday to size up the damage Erin left behind. When speaking to media, he noted that while the storm left an impact, it could have been much worse.
“As we were down in Hatteras, we saw some businesses that took it on the chin. Some homeowners experienced real damage to their property. But mind this — North Carolina dodged a bullet with Hurricane Erin. She was just a few more miles offshore — that made the difference," he said.
Watch related: Cape Hatteras Motel dealing with sand, flooding damage from Hurricane Erin
There have been no reported deaths in the state in connection with Erin, the governor added.
While the core of the storm stayed over the water, Chief Meteorologist David Aldrich says its great tropical storm force winds were far-reaching, which were felt along the coast as Erin moved north. Gov. Stein says NC 12 needs a lot of work due to the strong winds and overwash, but he didn't see any permanent damage to the roadway.
"So far, there’s no damage to NC 12... It’s just sand and moving the water," he said.
He did see numerous structures completely surrounded by water on Friday, including a local business.
“It was the Cape Hatteras Inn that we visited in Buxton. The water had come up underneath the hotel, ruined a lot of their parking lot, ruptured some of the pipes," he said.
Watch related: Hurricane Erin moves out, some impacts still linger near VA/NC coast
Gov. Stein says while evacuation orders start getting lifted and the storm moves out, high tide still poses flooding threats and the ocean's rip currents are still too strong to safely swim in.
“Even though the storm is moving away from us, it is not fully gone," he said. People who are here this weekend should not be getting in the ocean.”
Regarding NC 12, NCDOT is still working to clear the roadway. Officials say crews finished repairing two sand dunes that were breached overnight in Pea Island and they'll continue to monitor conditions, especially during high tide.
Gov. Stein also says efforts are underway to address the future of the essential highway.
“We know we need to have long-term solutions. There are groups that have been formed to look at them and come up with proposals to the Department of Transportation… We want to work with the community to make sure that we keep folks connected.”
