Buxton homes swept away as twin hurricanes pass off the coast of OBX
Multiple Buxton homes have collapsed amid two offshore hurricanes. The latest devastation follows a pattern that’s been unfolding since 2020.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore announced on Tuesday that five unoccupied homes in Buxton collapsed into the sea between 2 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Another home fell into the water early this morning. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. Officials are closing down the entirety of Buxton’s oceanfront area through off-road vehicle (ORV) ramp 43, as additional collapses are expected. Anyone who plans to travel on ORV ramp 38 is advised to avoid driving southbound.
The recent devastation was caused by rough surf conditions; Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto are hovering offshore and creating waves between six and 12 feet in height, along with wind gusts up to 45 MPH. The rising surf and increased winds are projected to cause further coastal erosion.
The houses that collapsed on Tuesday afternoon are:
- 46209 Tower Circle Road
- 46211 Tower Circle Road
- 46001 Cottage Avenue
- 46002 Cottage Avenue
- 46007 Cottage Avenue
Heather Jennette, who works with the Buxton Civic Association, said of the homes collapsing, “It’s awful, something that I think we all knew we might see one day, but there was a big part of us that hoped it wouldn’t actually happen.” She added, “We’re going to need some help when it’s over; we’re going to need help moving forward. We’re going to need help from the legislature making some changes that allow us to help ourselves. And we’ve been screaming at semi deaf ears, so it’s time to get them unclogged.”
Discussions have been taking place to determine the best course of action to protect additional oceanfront structures that are currently under threat of collapse. Other areas of the Outer Banks have experienced similar devastation in the past, including Rodanthe.
Rodanthe has experienced similar issues
Before homes began to disappear into the waves in Buxton over the last few weeks, Rodanthe saw its own influx of houses being swept into the sea beginning in 2020. Wavy reports that 18 houses in total have collapsed in the last five years. It’s been difficult for Seashore residents to face the looming disaster, and to clean up the wreckage that’s been left behind.
Resident Jenni Koontz told Wavy, “I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to clean this up. It seems like an overwhelming amount of garbage that has been left here on the beach and the sea.” The National Park Service has worked to clear debris, though they’ve urged the owners of the collapsed homes to assist in the cleanup to aid in beach restoration efforts.
Now, in the face of Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda broiling offshore, a Coastal Flood Warning has been issued in Rodanthe, where two to three feet of coastal floodwater inundation is expected.
What the future holds for OBX
While the immediate future feels bleak with further homes projected to fall into the ocean, the Buxton Civic Association is hoping that a jetty repair and beach nourishment will help stabilize the area within the next year. As Heather Jennette told News 3 WTKR, “I think it has to be some sort of turning point, either, you know, a recognition that it’s too late for these homes, but we’ve figured out some paths forward that we can maybe save the rest, the second line, you know, before the other side of old lighthouse becomes ocean front.”
Efforts to move existing oceanfront homes away from the water are also underway, but preventative measures are ultimately needed across the board.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
