3rd home collapses on North Carolina’s Outer Banks amid rising sea levels in Rodanthe

RODANTHE, N.C. – A third home has collapsed along Cape Hatteras National Seashore, highlighting the ongoing threat of erosion and rising sea levels to North Carolina’s Outer Banks.The National Park Service is urging visitors to avoid the beach and stay out of the water near the north end of Rodanthe and potentially for miles to the south following an early Friday morning collapse of an unoccupied home.Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials are closely monitoring an adjacent house that sustained damage due to the collapse. The NPS has warned that dangerous debris may be present on the beach and in the water, leading to the temporary closures.A debris removal contractor hired by the property owner is scheduled to begin cleanup work Friday, with assistance from NPS staff.This is the eighth house collapse along this beach in the past four years, according to the NPS. No injuries have been reported.WATCH: HURRICANE ERNESTO’S SWELL CAUSES NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE TO COLLAPSE INTO OCEANIn August, swells produced by Hurricane Ernesto caused at least one house to collapse along the Outer Banks. Dare County Emergency Management said the house was already at risk of collapsing well before the hurricane’s tides put the structure at risk.When the Category 2 hurricane occurred, it was more than 1,000 miles away from the Tar Heel State. However, due to the combination of rough surf and high water levels, significant erosion and coastal flooding happened along barrier islands.The NPS said the daily effects of wind, waves and tides, along with rising ocean levels, have played a significant role in coastal erosion along Cape Hatteras National Seashore.