Another home collapses into Atlantic, the 20th to fall in Buxton since September 2025

Another oceanfront home in the Outer Banks collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean overnight despite efforts by Dare County to buy the property before it fell.

The collapse marks the 20th oceanfront home to fall into the ocean in Buxton since September 2025.

Dare County leaders had been trying to acquire the blue house because it sat in the planned path of a new dune line tied to a major beach nourishment project expected to begin this month. Crews plan to pump about 2 million cubic yards of sand onto roughly three miles of shoreline in an effort to buy time for the vulnerable stretch of coast.

Collapsed homes create major environmental concerns, sending debris into the surf and triggering costly cleanup efforts along the coast.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore posted the following message:

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is strongly urging its visitors to avoid the beach and stay out of the water from the Village of Buxton south to the Cape Point area, due to last night's collapse of an unoccupied house at 46000 Ocean Drive in Buxton. Varying amounts of hazardous large and small debris litter the beach to the south of the collapse site. Due to public safety concerns, all beach access from the north end of Buxton through the lifeguarded beach is temporarily closed until park rangers can assess the area

In February, four homes collapsed in Buxton due to a severe storm that caused high tides and 60 mph winds. In October, five homes collapsed in Buxton in a single day.

Hurricane season began on June 1, and although meteorologists are predicting a below-average season, tropical systems add an even bigger threat to the unstable area.