Five oceanfront homes collapse in Buxton on Tuesday afternoon

Five oceanfront homes collapsed in Buxton on Tuesday afternoon, September 30, and within an hour of the 2:15 p.m. high tide.

The five house collapses include the following:

• 46001 Cottage Avenue – Built in 1970, one story, and approximately 1,287 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths.
• 46002 Cottage Avenue – Built in 1995, two stories, and approximately 1,926 square feet with four bedrooms and three baths.
• 46007 Cottage Avenue – Built in 1988, two stories, and approximately 1,456 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths.
• 46209 Tower Circle Road – Built in 1984, two stories, and approximately 1,696 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths.
• 46211 Tower Circle Road – Built in 1978, one story, and approximately 1,130 square feet with four bedrooms and two and a half baths.

Additional damage to oceanfront structures is possible in the northern Buxton area and Rodanthe as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda continue to bring a long-duration swell event to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. The public is advised to avoid these shorelines due to at-risk structures as well as extensive debris reported in both areas, especially Buxton.

Ocean overwash has been reported on N.C. Highway 12 on northern Ocracoke Island, north of Hatteras Village, and northern Buxton. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) crews are clearing the roadway, but travelers should use caution and go slowly as saltwater can damage vehicles.

N.C. Highway 12 is closed on northern Ocracoke Island due to ocean overwash, and will likely remain closed until Thursday.

Tuesday’s home collapses bring the total to six oceanfront home collapses in Buxton over the past two weeks. Another Buxton home built in 1976 collapsed on September 16 at 46227 Tower Circle Road.

There have now been 17 home collapse on Hatteras Island since 2020. The other home collapses occurred in Rodanthe, which includes six oceanfront homes that fell in 2024.

A pre-existing beach safety closure from the north end of Buxton to around off-road vehicle ramp 43 may need to be expanded, depending on the extent of the debris field. Visitors should also avoid the north end of Rodanthe due to the presence of threatened oceanfront structures.

The post Five oceanfront homes collapse in Buxton on Tuesday afternoon appeared first on Island Free Press.

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Credit: Original content published here.