MANTOLOKING

— The ocean breached the dunes in several spots today in this tiny Ocean County borough still reeling from Hurricane Sandy.

The breaches forced the closure of Route 35 from Herbert Street to the borough's border with Bay Head to the north because of sand and debris washed onto the road.

Police Chief Mark Wright said the breaches occurred in at least three spots between Herbert and Lyman streets. Crews worked today to push sand off the road and attempt to build up the compromised portions of the dunes to try to guard against more washovers during this afternoon's high tide around 4 p.m.

Wright said no homes were flooded because the ocean water rushed between the houses, not through them.

All 521 homes in this 2.2-mile town on the northern Ocean County barrier island sustained some type of water damage from Sandy. About 200 homes vanished, were destroyed or are in need of demolition from the October storm.