On Tuesday, September 30, five houses in the Outer Banks collapsed in just 45 minutes, drifting off into the Atlantic Ocean. Later, on Wednesday night, a sixth house fell. The small town of Buxton, located on Hatteras Island, was left with its shore drowning in debris. Luckily, these houses were unoccupied, and no one was physically harmed. Park rangers began to clean up the next morning. Residents and visitors were advised to avoid the affected beach areas due to the risk of further collapses. Most of these homes were only left with one remaining whole structure, the outside stairs. Some residents reported hearing the sound of wood cracking in the middle of the night. According to NBC News, over “18 homes have collapsed into the ocean in the Outer Banks since 2020 due to storms, erosion, and rising sea levels.” Junior Sophia Pilz says “This is insane! I did not realize just how many problems we have had with this in North Carolina in the past.”

   According to the Washington Post, “The agency called the situation ongoing, warning that further collapses were possible due to the rough ocean conditions fueled by Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda churning offshore.” Although the hurricanes stayed offshore, they generated powerful waves and a strong surf that slammed into an already weakened shoreline. The area is losing about 15 feet of shoreline each year. Experts say these kinds of conditions are intensified by climate change and rising sea levels, making erosion worse and more frequent along the barrier islands. The National Park Service has issued renewed warnings to coastal property owners, encouraging them to exercise caution and prepare for changing and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. 

   “On Friday, a ninth home collapsed in Rodanthe, about 25 miles north of Buxton,” said FOX Weather.

Homeowners have hired local contractors to move the debris to designated areas on Old Lighthouse Road. Once the debris is in the designated areas, the county contractor will remove it for proper disposal.  The town officials are meeting to discuss new building limits and way to protect what is left of the shoreline. It may take months before the beaches look back to normal.