North Carolina beach house collapses massively into the sea
National Park Service says collapse is the seventh time in Rodanthe in four years. The park also warns of the dangers of debris on the beach
The home on a beach of North Carolina’s Outer Banks leaned against the surf before the pilings below it sagged, then gave way, toppling the entire structure into the sea.
A beach-goer shared a footage of the collapse on Instagram on the 16th of August. “A Rodanthe NC house was consumed by the ocean right in front of me!” the caption read.
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The National Park Service stated that the house collapse was the seventh time it has happened in Rodanthe within the last four years, and advised visitors to stay clear of beaches close to where the Cape Hatteras national seashore.
Public access was shut down between Rodanthe until the Jug Handle Bridge as debris of the collapse washed ashore with sharp bits of wood and metal covered in nails onto the shores.
Officials stated that several other homes within the Rodanthe region appeared to be damaged: “Dangerous debris may be present on the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.”
A warning by the Park Service warned about “exposed hazards, such as house-related septic systems, wires, pipes and broken concrete parking pads”.
The beach house, which was a popular vacation rental up at the time of the summer’s onset it was not occupied and there were no reports of injuries during the collapse. This property belongs to a couple who hail from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The swells were likely triggered by a rise in ocean swells caused by the hurricane Ernesto who arrived in Bermuda in the early hours of Saturday morning, producing 85mph winds and waves that topped 35 feet (10.5 meters) and was the result of erosion on the beach which is a common aspect of living on the beach that has become more severe because of the rising sea level due to global warming experts claim.
In fact, as the home located on East Corbina Drive collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean, powerful waves were crashing into the walls and tore off a massive porch, and breaking it up into pieces, as the video illustrates.
Plans to get rid of the debris have not been finalized by the owner of the property as of Friday which prompted the park service to think about a removal plan by itself.
“The [park] does not expect significant debris removal efforts to occur until after the elevated sea conditions subside early next week,” officials said to in the News and Observer.