INDIAN RIVER INLET, Del. – Just 24 hours after Hurricane Erin battered the Delaware coast, signs of its power remain painfully visible across the region.
On the north side of the Indian River Inlet, up to 14 feet of dune has eroded, according to DNREC. But despite the damage, DNREC says the dunes did their job acting as a natural buffer and protecting Route 1.
Surfers returned to the inlet, including Elijah Jones, who was struck by the change in the beachscape.
"If waves can come up here and take all this sand away that’s crazy."
Meanwhile, just a few miles north on Route 1, flooding from the bayside pushed water across the roadway near Tower Road, forcing an overnight closure. The flooding, which came from the inland bays rather than the ocean, was driven by Erin’s strong winds, DNREC said.
"This storm in particular just happened to have very strong winds that were driving the water into the inland bays," DNREC official Kathleen Bergin said.
DelDOT to monitor roadways over weekend.
DelDOT officials say they are continuing to monitor the area through the weekend and may close Route 1 again if conditions worsen.
Looking ahead, DNREC confirmed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will return to the Indian River Inlet in September to conduct a beach renourishment event.
"We’re working very closely with our lawmakers and leadership to develop a long-term solution plan here," Bergin said.
So while the sun may have returned to Delmarva, Hurricane Erin’s impact is still being measured a storm that’s moved on, but left lasting marks.