BUXTON, N.C. (FN) — Five unoccupied homes collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday afternoon along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, as powerful surf and ongoing erosion continue to threaten coastal communities, officials said.
The homes, located in Buxton on Hatteras Island, fell between 2 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. ET, according to the National Park Service. Two were located on Tower Circle Road, two on Ocean Drive, and one on Cottage Avenue. No injuries were reported.
Park officials warned that additional homes may collapse in the coming days due to unstable conditions and forecasted high tides. “The situation remains dangerous,” said Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent David Hallac. “We urge visitors to avoid oceanfront areas near compromised structures and to stay off affected beaches during high tide.”
Officials advised visitors to avoid the beach and water in Buxton due to hazardous debris, including large pieces of lumber observed in the surf and shorebreak. Local authorities are working to contact property owners to coordinate cleanup efforts.
The Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands stretching more than 100 miles along the North Carolina coast, is known for its picturesque beach homes perched on stilts. But the region has become increasingly vulnerable to sea erosion, storm surge, and rising sea levels linked to climate change.
Since 2020, more than two dozen privately owned homes along Cape Hatteras National Seashore have collapsed into the ocean, according to the National Park Service. Sixteen of those homes have fallen since Sept. 16 of this year.
The villages of Rodanthe and Buxton have been hit particularly hard by erosion, officials said. In August, mandatory evacuations were issued in several Outer Banks counties due to Hurricane Erin, despite the storm not making landfall. Between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3, eight homes collapsed following impacts from Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, which remained offshore but generated powerful waves. Another home fell on Oct. 18 after the season’s first nor’easter battered the East Coast.
Projects aimed at fortifying the beaches—including beach nourishment and jetty repairs—are scheduled for 2026, according to ABC affiliate WTVD in Raleigh-Durham.
“We’re trying to preserve and secure the beaches as quickly as possible,” said Bobby Outten, manager of Dare County. “But the pace of erosion and the frequency of storms are making it increasingly difficult.”
Most of the debris from earlier collapses had been cleared before Tuesday’s incident, the Park Service said. However, officials cautioned that more homes could subside in the coming days as conditions remain volatile.
