Another home falls into the sea in North Carolina’s Outer Banks; this is the sixth incident this year.
An overnight storm in North Carolina caused yet another house to tumble into the ocean near the Outer Banks on Hatteras Island, marking the sixth house to collapse this year.
The National Park Service reported that the deserted house was located in the village of Rodanthe, Dare County. Fortunately, no injuries were noted from the incident.
Due to the collapse, a section of Highway 12 was temporarily closed along with the beach area near Rodanthe because of unsafe debris. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is in touch with the property owner and is advising visitors to avoid the region and the ocean “for many miles south of Rodanthe.”
Cleanup operations were hindered by severe weather conditions, and authorities are keeping a close watch on other uninhabited buildings that may be at risk.
The National Weather Service indicated gusts of wind reaching speeds of 50 mph along the Outer Banks on Friday morning, coupled with warnings of ocean overwash.
Three homes collapsed in one week in September
Since May, a total of six houses have fallen in Rodanthe, according to the park service.
Moreover, in late September, three beachfront homes in Rodanthe went down within the span of a week, triggered by severe storms and the rise in sea levels.
Previous incidents of collapse
The National Park Service noted seven house collapses in Rodanthe throughout 2024, all occurring since May.
- One unoccupied house on May 28 at approximately 2:30 a.m.
- One unoccupied house on August 16 at around 6:50 p.m.
- Two unoccupied houses on September 20 during the early morning.
- One unoccupied house on September 24 in the afternoon.
- One unoccupied house overnight from November 14 to November 15.
The reasoning behind these collapses
Rodanthe and its surrounding areas have been particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion, which results from a mix of strong winds, powerful waves, tides, and rising sea levels, as stated by park authorities.
Historically, elevated homes on stilts were safeguarded by dunes and dry sand. However, in recent times, many of these homes have had their bases “either partially or fully submerged in ocean water regularly,” as per the park service’s reports.
As these homes face strong winds and enormous waves, the water erodes the supporting sand, heightening the risk of collapse.
