Overview
- Before sunrise Sunday, an unoccupied private house on Tower Circle Road in Buxton fell into the ocean, the 28th collapse on Hatteras Island since 2020, according to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
- Blizzard conditions, high tides and 50–70 mph gusts from the rapidly intensifying nor’easter produced rough surf that contributed to the failure.
- The National Park Service closed the beach in front of the village of Buxton due to hazardous debris and nearby structures considered unstable.
- Volunteers and officials report debris fields with insulation, fuel and septic materials that require difficult, costly cleanups stretching for miles.
- Dare County’s manager said two additional homes in the area are at risk and noted a beach nourishment project has been moved up to late spring or early summer to address accelerating erosion.