Debris washes up in the St. Lunaire-Griquet region in the aftermath of Friday's storm surge. As many as 15 homes were evacuated. (Submitted by Brad Sheppard)

Some residents have returned home Christmas morning in Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, a day after a storm surge that forced families out of 15 houses.

Waves battered several wharves and fishing structures on Friday, washing many of them out to sea. On Saturday, the tide was still pounding the St. Lunaire-Griquet region, near the northernmost tip of the island, and residents were being warned not to go near the water.

Brad Sheppard, a councillor in the area, said homes sustained more damage on Friday night. By the next morning, debris was washing up on the road.

"Essentially, all the fishing stages and wharve were destroyed," Sheppard wrote in an email.

"We are recommending that people stay out of the area today and the road will not be passable by vehicle."

He hoped that the sea could calm later Saturday so the city can begin cleanup operations.

The RCMP and town council have alerted residents to the danger of the waves, which also damaged one road.

St. Lunaire-Griquet has a population of about 1,000, and is near the town of St. Anthony.

A cove known by locals as "the beach" took the brunt of the storm, Sheppard said, describing the damage to the area as "complete devastation."

Some 650 people live on the sheltered side of the cove, and about 50 residents were potentially in danger on Friday, he said.

Only three of the elevated wooden fishing stages were left standing on Friday near the water's edge, Sheppard said.