Five Buxton Homes Collapse; 27 Lost Since 2020

Five unoccupied oceanfront houses in Buxton on North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsed into the Atlantic on Oct. 28 amid rough surf, high winds and coastal flooding from a low‑pressure coastal storm, prompting beach closures and warnings to visitors to avoid the water. Debris and building materials were strewn along the shoreline and into the surf, and sections of N.C. 12 were inundated or temporarily closed as park and highway officials worked to clear sand and water. The collapses bring the Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s total since 2020 to 27 homes lost, including 16 so far in 2025 concentrated in Buxton and nearby Rodanthe. Officials say more structures remain threatened and could fall in the coming days, are contacting homeowners about cleanup, and have advised people to avoid beaches near high tide. The losses have renewed debate over mitigation measures — moving or demolishing threatened houses — and over proposals to change National Flood Insurance Program rules to allow pre‑collapse claims to help cover demolition or relocation costs on the vulnerable barrier islands.