In a concerning development for coastal communities, seven beachfront homes in North Carolina have succumbed to the Atlantic Ocean amid ongoing hurricane activity. Six of the homes collapsed within a single day, with the final seventh home collapsing on Wednesday evening in Buxton. Fortunately, this last residence was unoccupied at the time of its collapse.
This latest series of collapses adds to a troubling trend in the Rodanthe and Buxton area, which has seen a total of 19 homes fall victim to coastal erosion over the past five years. Laura Moore, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s College of Arts Sciences, has been examining the patterns of erosion and the impact of climate change along the coast. She noted the dire situation for those affected, highlighting the inadequacy of current sand replenishment efforts in countering the erosion caused by long-shore currents.
“The shoreline is moving landward, as there isn’t enough sand being replaced to keep up with the ongoing erosion,” Moore explained. Many locals advocate for beach renourishment to protect their coastal properties. However, Moore points out that the amount of sand necessary is vast, with frequent replenishment proving to be prohibitively expensive.
Additionally, Moore predicts an increase in the intensity and frequency of severe storms due to climate change, which poses an additional threat to coastal resilience. With rising water levels and stronger storms, the challenges faced by these coastal communities are mounting.
While storms Humberto and Imelda remain offshore, their impact has already been felt, with ocean overwash breaching protective dune lines and inundating roads with sand and water. Experts are increasingly voicing concerns that certain areas of barrier islands may no longer be suitable for development, marking Rodanthe as a focal point in the national conversation surrounding climate-induced sea level rise.
When homes collapse, they not only present a safety hazard due to dangerous debris scattered along the shoreline, but they also affect property owners, who are often compelled to wait for a collapse to happen before they can access insurance payouts.
Despite these challenges, the situation emphasizes the need for innovative solutions and adaptive strategies to address the long-term impacts of climate change on coastal regions.