Six houses lost to the Atlantic in North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Six unoccupied homes in Buxton, North Carolina, collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean on October 1, 2025, as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda stirred heavy surf offshore. The houses, once elevated on wooden stilts, gave way to advancing waves, marking the latest in a series of collapses along the barrier islands. No injuries were reported, but debris, including structural timbers and household remnants, spread across the shoreline.

The Outer Banks are a chain of low-lying barrier islands that have been eroding for decades. Rising sea levels and repeated storm activity have accelerated the process, placing hundreds of oceanfront structures at risk. Since 2020, 18 homes have collapsed into the surf within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Local officials note that dozens more properties in Buxton and surrounding communities have been flagged as unsafe due to foundation undermining and shoreline retreat.

This week’s collapses forced temporary closures of North Carolina Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island and suspension of ferry services between Ocracoke and Hatteras. The National Weather Service issued coastal flood advisories and warned of dangerous surf conditions lasting through the week. A 2024 assessment indicated that 750 of nearly 8,800 oceanfront buildings across the state may eventually face similar risks. Engineers and planners are weighing costly mitigation strategies, such as beach nourishment and managed retreat, to address long-term coastal hazards in the region.

Check out the following video for more footage on the collapsing homes.