Hurricane Sandy Floods Parts Of Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Parts of Cape Hatteras National Seashore were left flooded and without power Sunday by Hurricane Sandy, which was prompting mandatory evacuations of other National Park System units further up the Atlantic Coast.

According to Park Service updates, Ocracoke Village on Cape Hatteras was flooded and without power aside from that generated by portable generators. "Overwash has occurred on NC-12 on Ocracoke, north of Hatteras Village, Frisco, Buxton and Rodanthe," the agency added. "Moderate to major sound-side flooding is expected when the winds come around to the northwest."

Just to the south at Cape Lookout National Seashore, 32 visitors were riding out on the storm on the seashore's barrier islands. "All are secure," the Park Service reported. "The park is keeping tabs on them."

To the north, a mandatory evacuation has been ordered for coastal New Jersey areas, including Sandy Hook in Gateway National Recreation Area. That order was to take effect at 4 p.m. Sunday. A similar order was to take effect at 2 p.m. Sunday for Fire Island National Seashore.