A third oceanfront house in just the past week has been pulled down by the ocean waves in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Two other houses were destroyed on Friday in Rodanthe, North Carolina, and Tuesday's marks the tenth house since 2020 on the Outer Banks to meet its end.
Few houses on GA Kohler Court remain, but their time would appear to be short. Tuesday's collapse of 23039 GA Kohler nearly took down the house beside it.
Scripps News Norfolk was on scene when the house collapsed and got video of it slumping to the side after a large wave crashed into its stilts.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore had been advising residents and visitors to avoid the beach following the first two collapses due to debris.
In a press release Tuesday afternoon, CHNS said a debris contractor has been hired by the owner for clean-up efforts.
"Swimmers and surfers are urged to stay out the water in front of the villages of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo, as there is a large amount of hazardous floating debris being transported by the waves that will cause injuries to those entering the water along the tri-villages area," CHNS said. "Additionally, at the north end of Rodanthe and for miles to the south, the Seashore continues to urge visitors to wear hard-soled shoes when walking on the beach."
Scripps News Norfolk spoke to the owner of a house that collapsed nearby early Friday morning who drove three hours to Rodanthe after getting the call.
"We lose sleep over littering the beach," Paul Troy said.
The issue of what to do with the structures is complex. For homeowners, it isn’t always financially feasible to move or destroy it and they are also expected to foot the bill for clean-up if it collapses.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Norfolk.
