Having a property right on the water it’s assuming major risks, as sometimes the ocean reclaims the land. The flooding could significantly threaten life and property. An unoccupied home in Rodanthe, Outer Banks of North Carolina fell into the surf during the morning hours, Tuesday and a second unoccupied home collapsed a short time later,after winds have brought large, breaking waves of 10-15 feet. Debris from one of the collapses spread across many miles of beaches. The homes were built in 1980 and 1985. At the same time, some formed sand dunes caused closures of Highway 12 along parts of the Outer Banks. Officials closed the beach near Ocean Drive to protect the public from hazards.
The collapses were not fully unexpected. Those two homes are not the first to fall victim to the Atlantic. A house nearby collapsed earlier this year, in February. “Unfortunately, there may be more houses that collapse onto Seashore beaches in the near future,” David Hallac, superintendent, National Parks of Eastern North Carolina, wrote in a statement. The Outer Banks experiences beach erosion. “It’s a combination of climate change (rising seas) and the strong coastal low,” said WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth. As the climate continues to warm, environmental experts say that the threat to homes in Rodanthe is only going to increase. Hundreds of pricey vacation homes have been built there in places where experts say they probably should not have been.
