Dozens Rescued As Hurricane Erin Batters Jersey Shore

Dozens of rescues were made along the Jersey Shore Thursday night as high tide and Hurricane Erin churned up massive waves and flooded the streets.

In Margate City, 16 people and three dogs were rescued from vehicles in flooded waters, according to the fire department. Thirty-four were evacuated from flooded restaurants as well.

Egg Harbor Township police shared a video showing flooding in the West Atlantic City section of town during Thursday evening's high tide, "Just to give perspective on how much flooding impacts this area during these weather events."

Flooding sent debris like garbage cans and even a shed into the surf.

Video from Beach Haven shows a man with a small dogfish shark in the streets.

In Ocean City, the ocean flooded the street at 3rd and Bay avenues as the storm was intensifying.

In Belmar, the water reached the boardwalk, knocking around beach boxes and beach walkway mats, video by Tara Rickle Havens shows.

For the U.S. Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet, the powerful waves were an opportunity to train in rough seas. A video by Ryan Mack of Jersey Shore Fire Response shows the crew pushing through the waves out of and back into the inlet.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday declared a State of Emergency for all of New Jersey as Hurricane Erin was expected to make its closest pass, bringing 17-foot waves, major coastal flooding to parts of the shore, life-threatening rip currents and eroding beaches.

A High Surf Advisory is in place through Friday at 8 p.m. and a Coastal Flood Warning is in place through Saturday at 2 a.m.

“Over the past couple of days, we have seen the effects of Hurricane Erin along the Jersey Shore in the form of dangerous rip tides. Today and tomorrow will be no exception,” Murphy said. “As the storm moves past New Jersey over the next 24 hours, we are expecting high surf and rip currents, coastal and flash flooding, and a high erosion risk in parts of the state. We ask all New Jerseyans to monitor local weather forecasts and warnings and stay informed on evacuation protocols, especially if you’re down the Shore.”

Despite the center of the category 2 storm being far off from the coast, Erin's large size has tropical storm-force extending outward up to 320 miles, according to NOAA's National Hurricane Center.

Coastal communities along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast may see tropical-storm-force wind gusts through early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

High winds were forecast to stick around into Friday morning.

The storm has fluctuated in intensity since first forming nearly a week ago, but it is still unusually large, stretching across more than 600 miles (965 kilometers).

It remained a Category 2 storm Thursday afternoon with maximum sustained winds around 100 mph (160 kph), the hurricane center said. The hurricane center was also watching three tropical disturbances far out in the Atlantic. With thousands of miles of warm ocean water, hurricanes known as Cape Verde storms are some of the most dangerous to North America.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

With reporting from the Associated Press.