A house on the beach in North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean after its support pilings sagged and ultimately failed. A beachgoer captured video of the incident, which occurred on August 16, and shared it on Instagram, describing how the house in Rodanthe was “consumed by the ocean right in front” of them.
The National Park Service reported that this incident marked the seventh home collapse in Rodanthe over the past four years, advising visitors to stay away from the beaches near Cape Hatteras National Seashore. As a result, access from Rodanthe to Jug Handle Bridge was closed due to debris from the collapse, which included sharp metal pieces and wooden planks scattered along the shore.
Officials warned that other homes in the Rodanthe area might also be damaged, highlighting that hazardous debris could be present on the beach and in the water for over a dozen miles. A notice from the park service pointed out concerns about exposed dangers such as septic systems, wires, pipes, and broken concrete pads.
The beach house, a vacation rental until recently, was empty during the collapse, and fortunately, there were no reported injuries. The property belongs to a couple from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The collapse is believed to have been influenced by increased ocean swells from Hurricane Ernesto, which hit Bermuda with winds of 85 mph and waves exceeding 35 feet, along with ongoing beach erosion exacerbated by rising sea levels due to climate change. Video footage showed strong waves crashing against the house, destroying its porch and breaking it apart.
As of Friday, the property owner had not arranged for debris removal, leading the park service to consider taking action themselves. Officials noted that they do not expect any significant cleanup efforts to begin until the high sea conditions subside early next week.