Current:Home > BackTwo houses in Rodanthe, North Carolina collapse on same day; 4th to collapse in 2024-InfoLens
Two houses in Rodanthe, North Carolina collapse on same day; 4th to collapse in 2024
View Date:2024-12-23 16:18:20
This story has been updated to add new information.
Two houses collapsed in Rodanthe, North Carolina, just hours apart on the same day. This is the fourth house to collapse in the Outer Banks area this year.
On Friday, Sept. 20, in the early morning hours, an unoccupied house on G A Kohler Court collapsed. Then later that night around 9:18 p.m. Dare County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding another house collapse on G A Kohler Court, the National Park Service (NPS) said in an online news release.
"Debris associated with yesterday's collapses of houses at 23001 and 23009 G A Kohler Court has been observed at least 20 miles south of the collapse sites," Mike Barber, a public affairs specialist at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, told USA TODAY in a statement.
“Seashore law enforcement rangers arrived on scene and confirmed that the unoccupied, one-story house—the same house that sustained damages as a result of the first house collapse of the day—had collapsed and apparently washed out into the ocean before the bulk of it returned to the beach at the south end of G A Kohler Court,” the release said.
Visitors urged to avoid the area
In addition, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is warning visitors to avoid all beaches in Rodanthe.
"The National Park Service urges visitors near and many miles to the south of Rodanthe to stay out of the water and wear hard-soled shoes when walking on the beach to avoid injuries from hazardous floating debris and nail-ridden wooden debris," Barber said.
In the release, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said they are working with the home's property owner and a contractor is expected to be secured for debris cleanup.
On Saturday, the National Park Service staff is expected to be at the beach again today to help move debris above the high tide line, the release said.
“As of yesterday afternoon, varying levels of debris associated with the collapse of the G A Kohler Court were observed approximately nine miles to the south of the collapse site,” the release said.
Outer Banks home collapses since 2020
Here's a list of the nine privately-owned houses that have collapsed on Seashore beaches since 2020, according to the NPS:
- May 29, 2020: An unoccupied house collapsed during the overnight hours at 23238 Sea Oats Drive, Rodanthe.
- February 9, 2022: On a calm winter day, an unoccupied house collapsed at 24183 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe.
- May 10, 2022: During a multi-day nor'easter, an unoccupied house collapsed at 24235 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe. The collapsed occurred during the early morning hours.
- May 10, 2022: During a multi-day nor'easter, an unoccupied house collapsed at 24265 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe. The collapse occurred during the early afternoon hours.
- March 13, 2023: During inclement weather, an unoccupied house collapsed at 23228 East Point Drive, Rodanthe.
- May 28, 2024: An unoccupied house collapsed around 2:30 a.m. at 24131 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe.
- August 16, 2024: An unoccupied house collapsed at approximately 6:50 p.m. at 23214 Corbina Drive, Rodanthe.
- September 20, 2024: An unoccupied house collapsed at 23001 G A Kohler Court in Rodanthe, North Carolina early morning.
- September 20, 2024: An unoccupied house collapsed at 23009 G A Kohler Court in Rodanthe, North Carolina in the evening.
What is causing all of these houses to collapse in the Outer Banks?
According to the National Park Service, the daily effects of winds, waves and tides, along with rising seas (which is linked to climate change) and storms, have played a part in contributing to coastal erosion impacts at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, "particularly adjacent to the villages of Rodanthe and Buxton, North Carolina."
The effects of erosion in these villages have resulted in structures being present on the open beachfront or in the intertidal area, Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials said.
"During severe weather events, which the Outer Banks of North Carolina experiences throughout the year, privately-owned oceanfront houses in vulnerable areas get battered by strong winds and large waves," the NPS office's website notes.
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson weighs in on report that he would 'pee in a bottle' on set
- Minneapolis police officer killed while responding to a shooting call is remembered as a hero
- Missouri man set to be executed for ex-lover's murder says he didn't do it
- Jennifer Aniston launches children’s book series with best ‘friend’ Clydeo the dog
- 2025 Medicare Part B premium increase outpaces both Social Security COLA and inflation
- Baltimore channel fully reopened for transit over 2 months after Key Bridge collapse
- While youth hockey participation in Canada shrinks, the US is seeing steady growth
- Ryan Reynolds makes surprise appearance on 'The View' with his mom — in the audience
- See Chris Evans' Wife Alba Baptista Show Her Sweet Support at Red One Premiere
- Lala Kent's Latest Digs at Ariana Madix Will Not Have Vanderpump Rules Fans Pumped
Ranking
- Queen Elizabeth II's Final 5-Word Diary Entry Revealed
- Sen. John Fetterman and wife Gisele involved in two-vehicle crash in Maryland
- Four Cornell College instructors stabbed while in China, suspect reportedly detained
- A New York county with one of the nation’s largest police forces is deputizing armed residents
- Dozens indicted over NYC gang warfare that led to the deaths of four bystanders
- Over 1.2 million Good Earth light bars recalled after multiple fires, 1 customer death
- A weird 7-foot fish with a face only a mother could love washed ashore in Oregon – and it's rarer than experts thought
- Militants attack bus in India-controlled Kashmir, kill 9 Hindu pilgrims, police say
Recommendation
-
Jake Paul's only loss led him to retool the team preparing him to face Mike Tyson
-
Meet Katie Grimes, the Olympic Swimmer Katie Ledecky Has Dubbed the Future of Their Sport
-
Eastern Ohio voters are deciding who will fill a congressional seat left vacant for months
-
Dick Van Dyke makes history with Emmys win – and reveals how he got the part that won
-
Joey Graziadei Details Why Kelsey Anderson Took a Break From Social Media
-
'Unbelievable': Oregon man's dog runs 4 miles for help after car crash
-
Supreme Court seeks Biden administration's views in major climate change lawsuits
-
Too Hot to Handle’s Carly Lawrence Files for Divorce From Love Island Star Bennett Sipes