Five More Buxton Homes Collapse Into Ocean Amid Rough Surf

OUTER BANKS, N.C. — At least five homes in Buxton fell into the ocean on Tuesday, bringing the total number of homes lost on Hatteras Island to 17 since 2020. The homes collapsed due to the impact of rough surf caused by Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, with surf heights reaching between 6 to 12 feet and wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph.

News 3’s Will Thomas reported from Buxton Tuesday afternoon, witnessing the aftermath of the collapses. He is currently seeking information on whether additional homes may have been swept away by the waves.

According to News 3 Meteorologist Tony Nargi, the Outer Banks are experiencing extreme weather conditions that could exacerbate coastal erosion. A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect from Rodanthe southward, warning of potential inundation of 2 to 3 feet of coastal floodwater.

This latest incident follows a similar collapse two weeks ago, when a home owned by the family of Bonnie Clarke Lattimore was lost to the ocean. Lattimore shared that her family had considered moving the house two years prior and recently initiated the moving process after Hurricane Erin, but the home, known as ‘Dream House One,’ succumbed to the waves too soon.

Lattimore expressed her grief, stating, “The amount of people and love and memories of those houses… I feel like someone died. You can hear it in my emotions. I’ve been really struggling this past week with it all.”

Prior to the recent events in Buxton, all collapses since 2020 had occurred in Rodanthe. These incidents have sparked conversations in the community about how to better protect oceanfront properties. Moving homes further from the water has been proposed as one potential solution, but local residents and officials continue to seek additional strategies for prevention.