Imelda & Humberto Toss 7 NC Homes Into the Sea

Despite not making landfall on U.S. soil, the impacts of Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda caused seven houses to collapse into the ocean in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Read on for the details of the catastrophic situation.

Seven Homes Lost to the Fury of the Seas in North Carolina

The rough seas and high waves produced by Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda this week are being blamed for the collapse of seven homes into the Atlantic Ocean within a period of just 30 hours. All of the houses were located in the vulnerable Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Although the worst of the impacts is now waning, the National Weather Service (NWS) cautions that the rough surf conditions could linger for days.

An unoccupied house in the community of Buxton was the latest victim of the angry seas, falling into the water on the night of October 1. September afternoon was particularly devastating, as five homes collapsed in a period of 45 minutes along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The timing of the high tide at this time sent the high waves over the dunes and straight at the unoccupied homes. According to the National Park Service (NPS), a sixth house fell at about 11 pm that night. The NWS said that the surf height came in between 8 to 12 feet.

The latest home losses bring the total number of collapses since May of 2020 to 19 in this region. The rapidly changing shoreline along this stretch of coastline in North Carolina has contributed to the acceleration of beach erosion. The national seashore accounts for about 75 miles of this beach, putting it under the purview of the federal government. According to a report submitted to Congress by the NPS, the shoreline is retreating at a rate of approximately 4 feet per year.