A wooden beach house on stilts along North Carolina’s Outer Banks has collapsed into the ocean, marking the 12th house lost to the sea in the past five years. The two-story home, located in Buxton near the northern end of Hatteras Island, fell apart Tuesday afternoon, scattering debris across the shoreline. Fortunately, the house was empty at the time, according to Mike Barber, a spokesman for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Crews have been out clearing the area south of the collapse, and the homeowner has brought in a contractor to remove the remaining structure and debris. Most of the previous home losses happened in Rodanthe, a small village on the far eastern tip of North Carolina that’s well known thanks to author Nicholas Sparks.
This latest fall came just under a mile from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which had to be moved nearly 3,000 feet inland in 1999 because of erosion. About 30 buildings along that stretch, including parts of two hotels, were declared unsafe for use in late August after Hurricane Erin brushed the coast. Officials say the damage affected things like septic systems and stairways, and now it’s up to each property owner to decide if they will fix the problems to make buildings safe again.
Dare County Planning Director Noah Gillman says the shoreline around Buxton has eroded much faster in recent years. Combined with the effects of Hurricane Erin, this has worn away the land to the point where homes can no longer stand. This event highlights how the ocean continues to reshape the Outer Banks, posing challenges for those living and owning property there.