Hurricane Ernesto is causing severe damage along the North Carolina coast. On Friday evening, an unoccupied house collapsed and was washed away on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
In response to the incident and hazardous conditions, the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is urging visitors to steer clear of all beaches and surf in the Rodanthe area.
The home on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, perched precariously over the surf, eventually gave way as the pilings below sagged and collapsed, sending the entire structure crashing into the sea.
On August 16, a beachgoer shared a video of the collapse on Instagram, captioned:
“A Rodanthe NC house was consumed by the ocean right in front of me!”
The National Park Service reported that the Rodanthe home collapse was the seventh such incident in four years, advising visitors to avoid beaches near Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Public access was closed from Rodanthe to Jug Handle Bridge due to debris from the collapse washing ashore, including sharp metal pieces and wood planks with nails.
Officials noted that several other homes in Rodanthe also appeared damaged, warning: “Dangerous debris may be present on the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.”
The park service issued an alert about “exposed hazards, such as house-related septic systems, wires, pipes, and broken concrete parking pads.”
The beach house, which had been a vacation rental until earlier this summer, was unoccupied at the time of the collapse, and no injuries were reported. The property is owned by a couple from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The collapse was likely triggered by increased ocean swells from Hurricane Ernesto, which made landfall in Bermuda early Saturday with 85mph winds and waves over 35ft (10.5 meters). Experts attribute the collapse to beach erosion—a common issue exacerbated by rising sea levels from the climate crisis.
As the house on East Corbina Drive fell into the Atlantic Ocean, powerful waves battered its walls, tearing off a large porch and breaking it apart, as shown in the video.
By Friday, the property owner had not yet arranged for debris removal, leading the park service to consider managing the cleanup themselves.
“The [park] does not expect significant debris removal efforts to begin until after the elevated sea conditions subside early next week,” officials told the News and Observer.
More from a press release issued Friday evening by the National Park Service:
“Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge strongly urges all visitors to avoid the beaches and stay out of the water around all areas of the beaches and surf in Rodanthe.
“Additionally, all public entry from the northern boundary of Rodanthe up to the northern end of the Jug Handle Bridge is closed.
“Many other homes appear to have sustained damages in the Rodanthe area. Dangerous debris may be present on the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.
“Prevailing currents appear to be rapidly transporting home debris to the north; however, if the wave swell and winds shift over the coming days, debris may also impact visitor safety in the villages of Waves and Salvo.
“The Seashore is in communications with the property owner. A debris removal contractor has not been obtained by the owner at this time.
“Debris removal activities may be conducted by National Park Service staff if other efforts to remove debris do not occur.
“The Seashore does not expect significant debris removal efforts to occur until after the elevated sea conditions subside early next week.”
