This news story about the collapse of two beach houses at Cape Hatteras National Seashore is based on May 10, 2022, National Park Service press releases. You can read the original press releases here and here.
So far this year, no fewer than three beach houses in Rodanthe, North Carolina, have collapsed this year at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Two of those collapses occurred in one single day, on Monday, May 10, 2022.
The first collapse took place on February 9, 2022, after which debris spread along approximately 15 miles of coastline at Cape Hatteras. It took the homeowner and volunteers days to remove much of the debris. In fact, the clean-up efforts related to that first collapse this year are still ongoing to this day.
On May 10, the National Park Service published two press releases, announcing that two more beach houses at Cape Hatteras National Seashore collapsed into the sea.
All three houses were located along Ocean Drive at Cape Hatteras.
Beach Houses Keep Collapsing at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina
The first house, which was situated at 24235 Ocean Drive and unoccupied, collapsed in the morning of May 10.
Just a few hours later, in the afternoon of May 10, the Park Service announced the collapse of a second unoccupied home on the same stretch of beach in Rodanthe. That particular house stood at 24265 Ocean Drive.
To protect the public from dangers associated with the collapsed beach homes, the entire beach along Ocean Drive in Rodanthe has been closed, the National Park Service said, adding that “law enforcement officials will close Ocean Drive shortly.”
“Unfortunately, there may be more houses that collapse onto Seashore beaches in the near future,” said David Hallac, superintendent, National Parks of Eastern North Carolina.
Hallac added that the Park Service “proactively reached out to homeowners along Ocean Drive in Rodanthe after the first house collapse and recommended that actions be taken to prevent collapse and impacts to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.”
Visitors to Cape Hatteras should use caution when participating in recreational activities on the beach and in the ocean along Hatteras Island as debris is being spread widely across the Seashore.
That debris may include chemicals and other hazardous substances, wood with nails in it and metal objects.
You can check current conditions and beach closures here on the national seashore’s website.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore will be working closely with the homeowner to coordinate cleanup activities and public updates will be provided when available.
Visitors who plan to clean up some of the debris should place piles above the high tide line, so that the debris doesn’t get washed back into the ocean.