On Tuesday, five empty homes crumbled and were washed away into the Atlantic Ocean in North Carolina’s Outer Banks as powerful ocean waves generated by hurricanes Humberto and Imelda impacted the southeastern seaboard.
The collapses took place in Buxton, occurring in a span of about 45 minutes beginning at approximately 2 p.m. ET, as stated by officials at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries.
Local resident Hunter Hicks described the chaos, saying to FOX Weather correspondent Katie Byrne, “It was terrifying; it sounded like explosions. Windows and pylons were cracking, and houses were being carried out to sea. The situation here is severe.”
Three of the fallen homes were located on Cottage Avenue, while two nearby houses collapsed on Tower Circle Road.
Photographer Jenni Koontz expressed her dismay to FOX Weather, stating, “Every house is getting pummeled. The damage is beyond measure at this point. As someone who lives here, it’s heart-wrenching, not just for the homeowners, but for our community as a whole.”
She noted that the large debris piles have merged, complicating efforts to identify the ownership of the wreckage.
“I’m not sure how we’ll clean this up quickly. There’s a ton of debris,” Koontz added. “We are just beginning to gauge the damage. I fear that as the week progresses, we will see additional homes fall.”
Hicks mentioned that some of these houses had renters just a month ago, who had to evacuate as the storms approached.
“It’s incredibly upsetting,” Hicks remarked.
While both hurricanes are tracking away from the Eastern Seaboard, the coast is still likely to experience significant wave activity throughout the week.
Coastal Flood Warnings are currently in effect for Ocracoke Island until Friday evening, predicting ocean inundation levels of 2-3 feet above normal, with local areas experiencing even deeper flooding due to intensified wave action.
The National Weather Service cautioned that this could lead to heightened risks for property damage, stating, “Flooding may extend inland from the shoreline, threatening some homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure.”
As conditions worsen, North Carolina’s Highway 12 has been closed at the northern end of Ocracoke Island, due to dangerous travel circumstances caused by increasing ocean overwash, according to officials from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
With several days of intense surf on the horizon, Koontz predicts that even more homes could be at risk this week.
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“Indeed, those houses are barely standing,” Koontz remarked, referring to homes still upright but perilously close to the surf. “Many are missing crucial pilings that support them, and they’re gradually losing more stability. Some homes are fortified, but for the majority, they remain at high risk.”
“And this beach is just at the start of the severe weather. I fear there will be countless more that give way.”
