North Carolina Beachfront House Collapses Into Surf, Marking 12th Outer Banks Erosion Loss in Five Years
Unoccupied Buxton stilt home falls into the Atlantic as erosion along the Outer Banks intensifies, with decertifications affecting coastal structures and a continuing cleanup effort.
A beachfront stilt home along North Carolina's Outer Banks collapsed into the Atlantic on Tuesday afternoon, the 12th Outer Banks property lost to erosion in five years. The two-story, wood-shingled house sat at the north end of Hatteras Island in Buxton and was unoccupied at the time of the collapse, Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials said. Debris littered the sand, including nails and other construction materials, as the surf churned nearby. Seashore staff said they were cleaning the beach to the south of the collapse site, and the homeowner has hired a contractor to remove the bulk of the remaining structure and nearby debris.
The latest incident comes as erosion in Buxton has significantly increased in the past couple of years, a trend Dare County officials said has been amplified by the effects of Hurricane Erin, which skirted the coast earlier this year. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, moved inland in 1999 to prevent its own collapse from erosion, sits less than a mile from the collapse site. In late August, about three dozen structures along that stretch were decertified for occupancy after damage to septic systems and external stairs; it is up to property owners to decide whether to undertake the work required to re-enter compliance.
The earlier 11 houses claimed by the Atlantic Ocean since May 2020 were all in Rodanthe, the eastern-most point of the Outer Banks and a community made famous by novelist Nicholas Sparks. While Erin brushed the coast without targeting other communities, its effects joined with long-running shoreline retreat to pressure the segment of Dare County’s coastline where several oceanfront structures have faced the loss of land. Officials noted that some properties along Rodanthe remained under risk assessment as erosion continued to erode shorelines.
Noah Gillman, Dare County Planning Director, described the erosion trend as ongoing and significant. “The erosion in Buxton has significantly increased in the past couple of years,” Gillman said. “And that continued increased erosion, compiled with the effects of Hurricane Erin, got us to the point we are today.” He added that decertifications were tied to damage to septic systems and external stairs, and that it is ultimately up to property owners to decide whether to complete the work required to come back into compliance with occupancy rules.
The event underscores climate-driven pressures on the Outer Banks, where sea-level rise and intensified storms have repeatedly challenged protections along a long, narrow barrier island chain. Cleanup and monitoring will continue as seashore crews assess beach conditions and safety concerns for residents and visitors, while authorities weigh long-term strategies for shoreline stabilization and risk communication across Dare County.