Officials reopen Outer Banks as Maria races to sea

Maria raced away from the U.S. East Coast on Thursday, giving the nation its first rest from the constant threat of tropical weather in more than a month.

No injuries were reported on the U.S. mainland from Maria, which lashed North Carolina’s fragile Outer Banks with high water and waves, washing over the only highway connecting Hatteras Island to the mainland.

Maria moved slowly Monday and Tuesday before accelerating out to sea late Wednesday and weakening to a tropical storm early Thursday.

Its tropical storm-force winds extended for as much as 240 miles from the center, churning up the surf on both sides of the fragile islands.

On Thursday as Maria moved further offshore, officials began reopening the islands of Hatteras and Ocracoke to visitors after more than 10,000 tourists were evacuated Monday. Full ferry service to Ocracoke, reachable only by boat or airplane, was resuming as Hatteras also planned to reopen the main road link to the mainland.

The Dare County Sheriff ’s Office said stretches of the highway were still covered in sand and water as crews worked to clear the road. Officials also warned swimmers to stay out of the ocean because of continued dangerous surf and strong rip currents.

Since Harvey formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 24, the United States or the Caribbean islands have been under continual threat from hurricanes and tropical storms.

Maria struck Puerto Rico as a major Category 4 hurricane, its winds devastating the island. As the storm headed north and west, North Carolina officials ordered tourists to leave Hatteras and Ocracoke because of the possible flooding.

This is the fourth named tropical storm to impact the islands in the past two years.