Photos: Massive debris piles along Outer Banks after 9 homes crumble from rough surf
Surf generated by hurricanes Imelda and Humberto brought down nine more homes in the North Carolina Outer Banks region. The large amount of debris from the collapses can be seen in these photos.
Can anything be done to save homes from collapsing into the ocean?
Numerous homes along North Carolina’s Outer Banks have collapsed into the Atlantic recently due to massive waves kicked up by hurricanes Imelda and Humberto over the past few weeks. Assistant Professor of Coastal Studies at East Carolina University Siddharth Narayan joined FOX Weather on Sunday to explain what, if anything, communities along the coast can do to balance development with the everchanging coastline.
BUXTON, N.C. – Piles of debris are being moved from the Outer Banks village of Buxton, North Carolina, to a designated spot for removal as rough surf continues to threaten more homes in this unique coastal community threatened by coastal erosion.
Two hurricanes, Imelda and Humberto, passed hundreds of miles offshore from the U.S. East Coast last week, exasperating the rough coastal conditions in North Carolina's Dare County, causing nine homes on Hatteras Island to fall into the surf.
Debris from homes washed away by rough surf in Buxton, North Carolina after Hurricane Imelda passed off shore in October 2025. (Instagram/@b_the_photos / FOX Weather)
Eight homes collapsed in Buxton, including one live on FOX Weather, over three days.
Photos show piles of debris littering the beach in Buxton, as the surf continues to threaten additional homes on stilts.
The National Weather Service in Morehead City issued a beach hazard statement for Hatteras Island south of Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke Island and Core Banks beaches through Sunday evening due to rip currents and large breaking waves.
Some of the only remaining whole parts of the structures are the stairs that once led to the oceanfront homes.
With many of the homes including multiple stories, there is a lot of debris along the beach, causing hazardous beach conditions in the area.
WATCH: 8TH NORTH CAROLINA BEACH HOUSE TO COLLAPSE CAUGHT LIVE ON FOX WEATHER
On Friday, a ninth home collapsed in Rodanthe, about 25 miles north of Buxton.
Dare County government staff met with debris removal companies on Friday to plan the cleanup of material from the collapsed homes. Homeowners have hired local contractors to move the debris to designated areas on Old Lighthouse Road. Once the debris is in the designated areas, the county contractor will remove it for proper disposal.
Debris litters Buxton, North Carolina after homes collapse in rough surf
Video shows massive piles of debris in Buxton, North Carolina after rough surf from passing Hurricane Imelda brought down eight homes in Buxton last week and one in Rodanthe.
Anyone who is not a homeowner or renter of the collapsed homes is asked to stay away from the area.
Since 2020, 21 privately owned beach homes have collapsed on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Nine of those home collapses have occurred in Buxton since mid-September. The remaining dozen collapses happened in Rodanthe, with the most recent prior to Friday's collapse being in November 2024, according to the Seashore's records. The area is losing about 15 feet of shoreline each year.