Outer Banks Drivers Nearly Swept Off NC 12 as Wave Destroys Dunes; Pickup Driver and Others Escape Flooding

RODANTHE, N.C. — A powerful nor’easter battered the Outer Banks over the weekend, sending massive waves crashing across North Carolina Highway 12 and breaching coastal dunes. The dramatic moment — captured by an NCDOT camera — showed a white pickup truck nearly swept away before managing to power through the flooding.

Wave Breach Turns Highway Into Ocean

The scene unfolded Sunday afternoon as high tide and rising surf combined to wash over parts of Pea Island between the Marc Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the road was still open when a large wave suddenly breached the dunes, pushing water across the highway.
“The dune was breached right at that very time,” said Jamie Kritzer, NCDOT’s assistant director of communications. “The pickup driver was able to floor it and make it through the rising water to higher ground.”

Other Vehicles Also Caught in the Surge

The white pickup wasn’t alone — several other vehicles were trapped in the same wave, though they were not captured on camera. “A few cars got in the same jam,” Kritzer confirmed. “They made it through.”
Moments later, officials closed the highway as ocean overwash continued to surge inland, flooding multiple sections of NC 12 and Cedar Island.

Viral Moment Draws Concern — and Clarification

The dramatic footage quickly went viral online, with some viewers mistakenly accusing the driver of ignoring road closures. NCDOT clarified that the motorist was already on the open roadway when the breach occurred. “He was never stuck,” officials emphasized, countering online speculation.
The incident highlighted just how quickly conditions can change along the barrier islands, where sand dunes and tides shift with little warning.

Nor’easter Impacts Stretch Across Hatteras

Farther south, residents and emergency crews in Buxton watched anxiously as another oceanfront home teetered on collapse. Overwash swept through neighborhoods and eroded more dunes, renewing fears of property loss as the nor’easter’s peak tides hit.
Officials said flooding had also forced multiple closures along NC 12 throughout the weekend, with crews monitoring conditions between Pea Island and Cedar Island for additional breaches.

Safety Warning for Coastal Drivers

Despite the lucky outcome for those caught in Sunday’s surge, NCDOT officials urged drivers never to risk crossing flooded roads.
“It takes just a foot of water to move a car,” Kritzer warned. “We want everyone to be careful — no one should try to cross water-covered roads.”

As cleanup continues, state crews are rebuilding dunes and assessing storm damage along vulnerable stretches of the Outer Banks, where storms like this remind residents how fragile the coastal highway truly is.

Have you experienced flooding or overwash near NC 12? Share your story with us at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.