Beaches in Dare County were closed this weekend after another house fell into the ocean in Rodanthe amid high waves from Hurricane Ernesto.
The unoccupied two-story house collapsed Friday evening after years of erosion that left it in the middle of the public beach. Debris has been found up to 11 miles north. The National Park Service, which manages nearby Cape Hatteras National Seashore, says several other oceanfront structures nearby also have substantial damage.
It's the seventh house in the area to be destroyed since 2020. Erosion, more intense storms and rising sea levels are to blame, says National Park Service superintendent Dave Hallac.
"It's not uncommon for us to have a three to four meter per-year erosion rate, in other words, 10 plus feet of beachfront just disappearing to the Atlantic Ocean on an annual basis," he said.
The park service also says erosion and ocean overwash have damaged houses in Buxton, near the southern end of Hatteras Island. A park service alert warns of damaged septic systems and debris on the beach and in the water.
