2 more Outer Banks homes collapse into Atlantic bringing total to 13 in a month

Dr. Laura Moore, professor of coastal geomorphology at the University of North Carolina, spoke about the complicated nature of erosion in oceanside communities and attempts to fight the natural process.

BUXTON, N.C. – Two more unoccupied homes in the Outer Banks of North Carolina fell into the ocean on Tuesday morning, as erosion continues to eat away at the islands.

These two losses occurred in the village of Buxton, collapsing within 15 minutes of each other at 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m., according to the National Park Service (NPS).

This brings the number of collapsed Outer Banks homes to 13 in less than a month. All but one of those homes were in Buxton, with the outlier located in Rodanthe.

FILE: This image shows homes along North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsing into the Atlantic due to the impacts of Hurricane Imelda.

(Jenni Koontz / EpicShutterPhotography via Storyful / FOX Weather)

The NPS said the unoccupied homes are being brought down by coastal erosion caused by the daily effects of winds, waves and tides, in addition to storms and rising seas.

On Sept. 30, six homes in Buxton collapsed as hurricanes Imelda and Humberto slammed the Outer Banks with powerful winds and waves. Five of the homes fell within 45 minutes of each other in the afternoon, and the sixth fell later that night.

11TH HOME COLLAPSES ON NORTH CAROLINA’S OUTER BANKS

Then, three more homes fell over the next three days, with two of them in Buxton and one in Rodanthe.

After a brief lull, another Buxton home collapsed on Oct. 18, before the two that fell on Tuesday.