Current:Home > MarketsAnother Outer Banks home collapses into North Carolina ocean, the 3rd to fall since Friday -EliteFunds
Another Outer Banks home collapses into North Carolina ocean, the 3rd to fall since Friday
View
Date:2025-04-14 12:46:42
A third house has collapsed within a week on the Outer Banks island of Hatteras in North Carolina as storms grow in intensity and rising sea levels encroach on beachfront homes.
North Carolina park officials warned swimmers and surfers to avoid the beaches in Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo due to the debris floating amid the waves. Additionally, beachgoers should wear protective shoes when walking along the 70-mile stretch of shoreline that includes the beach in front of Rodanthe to avoid injuries from nails sticking out of wooden debris, warned rangers on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
The collapse of the unoccupied house, which occurred Tuesday afternoon, comes after two other beachfront houses in Rodanthe collapsed within hours of one another on Friday.
Another house collapses in Outer Banks
The unoccupied house on G.A. Kohler Court collapsed around 1 p.m. Tuesday, the National Park Service said in its statement. The owner of the house has hired a debris cleanup contractor, while Seashore employees plan on assisting with cleanup efforts.
Seashore authorities have closed the beach from G A Kohler Court in Rodanthe to Wimble Shores North Court in Waves because of the debris littering both the beach and in the water. Photographs shared by the park service show the damaged home, as well as crumbled piles of debris.
No injuries were reported from the collapse.
Two houses collapse Friday in Rodanthe
The home became the fifth privately-owned house to collapse on the island just this year – and tenth since 2020 – after two others collapsed just days prior.
In the early morning hours on Friday, an unoccupied house on G A Kohler Court collapsed. Officials began monitoring an adjacent house that had sustained damage before it also collapsed later that same night, the National Park Service said in an online news release.
In the initial aftermath, debris was observed at least 20 miles south of the collapse sites, an official told USA TODAY.
What is causing the houses to collapse?
The village of Rodanthe – as well as others adjacent to the seashore – have been especially susceptible to coastal erosion caused by a combination of winds, waves, tides and rising seas, park officials have said.
Elevated beach-style homes sitting atop pilings were once protected by dunes and dry sand. But in recent years, the bases of many of these homes have been “either partially or fully covered with ocean water on a regular basis,” according to the park service.
When the houses are battered by strong winds and large waves, the water erodes the sand supporting the homes, increasing the chance of collapse.
Contributing: Ahjané Forbes, Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
veryGood! (35)
Related
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- US Olympic figure skating team finally gets its golden moment in shadow of Eiffel Tower
- Matt Damon remembers pal Robin Williams: 'He was a very deep, deep river'
- A balloon, a brief flicker of power, then disruption of water service for thousands in New Orleans
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Kehlani Responds to Hurtful Accusation She’s in a Cult
- Hunter Biden was hired by Romanian businessman trying to ‘influence’ US agencies, prosecutors say
- Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Porsha Williams' Bedroom Makeover Tips: Glam It Up With Picks Starting at $5
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- A steeplechase record at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Then a proposal. (He said yes.)
Ranking
- 2025 'Doomsday Clock': This is how close we are to self
- Does Halloween seem to be coming earlier each year? The reasoning behind 'Summerween'
- Olympic medals today: What is the medal count at 2024 Paris Games on Thursday?
- Hunter Biden was hired by Romanian businessman trying to ‘influence’ US agencies, prosecutors say
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Video shows dog chewing on a lithium-ion battery and sparking house fire in Oklahoma
- Shilo Sanders' bankruptcy case reaches 'impasse' over NIL information for CU star
- Amid intense debate, NY county passes mask ban to address antisemitic attacks
Recommendation
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Porsha Williams' Bedroom Makeover Tips: Glam It Up With Picks Starting at $5
Blake Lively receives backlash for controversial September issue cover of Vogue
EPA issues rare emergency ban on pesticide that damages fetuses
Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
Euphoria's Hunter Schafer Says Ex Dominic Fike Cheated on Her Before Breakup
The GOP and Kansas’ Democratic governor ousted targeted lawmakers in the state’s primary
Blake Lively receives backlash for controversial September issue cover of Vogue