Strong surf pummels Plum Island homes

PLUM ISLAND, Mass. (WHDH) -- Debris from houses littered the Plum Island shoreline after high tide hit at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

There were serious concerns about erosion from the pounding surf. In two hours, 20 feet of sand had been eroded on a resident’s porch. At one point, the patio completely drifted into the ocean.

“It was scary because it was blowing through. It blew through the sliding glass door down there and the waves came in while I was in there so I ran into the utility room and shut the door so it wouldn’t follow me in,” said a resident.

Big wooden posts and debris in the ocean crashed into a coastal home.

“Debris would hit the pilings and because they’re steel, they would reverberate through the house and things would start shaking and it was pretty bad,” Kathy Connors.

Once the tide receded, building inspectors moved in. Homeowners began working on the cleanup. A street flooded and nearly a half dozen decks were left dangling.

“It looked like somebody came in and took a wrecking ball to this area,” said a resident.

The raging storm took out the foundation of one house, sweeping away furniture and memories. After 32 years, Tom is not sure if he has the money or energy to rebuild.

“I’m not too sad about it, it’s been going on for a long time and I kind of accepted the fact I could lose it some day,” said Nee.