RODANTHE, N.C. — A house in Rodanthe, North Carolina fell into the ocean on Friday evening, becoming the seventh to collapse in four years, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said.
The collapse happened at 23214 Corbina Drive. Seashore officials strongly urge all visitors to avoid the beaches and stay out of the water around all areas of the beaches and surf in Rodanthe. No one was inside the home at the time, and no injuries were reported.
On Sunday, officials from Cape Hatteras National Seashore provided an update on the cleanup effort. We're told the Seashore team has met with the owner of the collapsed house to work on clearing the remaining debris. Material from the home has been observed 11 miles north of the original home site. There is also work to coordinate with owners of other Rodanthe homes that are damaged along the oceanfront.
Public entry from the northern boundary of Rodanthe up to the northern end of the Jug Handle Bridge is also closed.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore also warns that several other homes appear to have sustained damage in the Rodanthe area and dangerous debris might be found along the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.
Officials said currents appear to be rapidly transporting debris north, but if the wave swell and winds shift in the coming days, the villages of Waves and Salvo could be impacted.
Seashore officials are in contact with the property owner, but plans for significant debris removal is not expected until after elevated sea conditions caused by an offshore Hurricane Ernesto subside, likely early next week.
Officials and homeowners have grappled with how to address the issue of houses at risk of collapsing into the ocean, with pricey solutions such as relocating homes away from the shoreline and beach nourishment. As previously reported by 13News Now, the scope of what could be covered by a person's insurance presents a difficult road to navigate for both homeowners and authorities.