A family's beachfront home in North Carolina's Outer Banks was suddenly swallowed by the relentless Atlantic Ocean last week in a startling event captured on video. The two-story house could be seen teetering at the edge of the eroding beach for months before its inevitble collapse. Early last Thursday, as cameras rolled, the weakened structure finally succumbed to the mighty waves and fell crashing into the sea within seconds.
The home was located on Rodanthe, one of the narrow barrier islands that makes up the Outer Banks. These fragile strips of land are constantly shaped and reshaped by storms and coastal erosion. Recent hurricanes had pummeled the shoreline, carving away sand and exposing the house's foundation. On the day of the incident, large swells kicked up by nor'easter winds relentlessly battered the shore. With each impactful surge, more sand was torn away until support collapsed and the building swiftly toppled over the newly formed brink.
Thankfully, the home was unoccupied at the time as local officials had issued a mandatory evacuation order when it became clear the property was in imminent danger. Still, the dramatic scene served as a sobering reminder of the unpredictable and formidable forces of nature that shape this barrier island environment. As sea levels continue rising with climate change, more structures will find themselves increasingly vulnerable if preventative measures are not taken. This powerful footage highlights the harsh realities of living so close to the fluid boundary between land and sea.
