As Hurricane Erin pelted North Carolina’s barrier islands with strong winds and waves this week, it destroyed many nests of threatened sea turtle, burying the eggs deep in sand or washing them out to sea.

North Carolina expects coastal flooding from massive waves, tropical-storm-force winds and tidal and storm surges for much of the state shoreline, especially the Outer Banks, as well as life-threatening rip currents for most of the week, Stein said, adding, "No one should be in the ocean."

Videos show massive waves lashing abandoned homes on North Carolina's Outer Banks as the storm passes the U.S.

Hurricane Erin is moving away from the U.S. coast. Surf and seas remain a problem for our North Carolina beaches as summer vacations continue.

As of 4 p.m. CDT Wednesday, the center of Category 2 Hurricane Erin was located about 295 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., or 520 miles west of Bermuda, and was tracking to the north at 14 mph.

A massive Hurricane Erin churns off the East Coast, bringing dangerous waves to vulnerable areas along the North Carolina coast. Here's the latest.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring large ocean swells and life-threatening rip currents to North Carolina's coast. Coastal flooding, river rise and road washout are also possible. Waves could reach between 20 to 25 feet high.

Hurricane Erin's path will not bring its strongest winds ashore. However, it continues to grow in size, and its impacts from high surf, rip currents and coastal flooding are already increasing along parts of the East Coast.