BUXTON, N.C. — The Atlantic continues its assault on the Buxton oceanfront with massive waves still battering the homes that remain standing. On Tuesday, six houses collapsed into the ocean, with another following Wednesday night, bringing the total to seven.
A seventh home collapsed on Tower Circle Road in Buxton, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore says.
For the past year and a half, the Buxton Civic Association and residents have been sounding the alarm. After what we've witnessed this week, that call for action continues to be urgent.
"I've called this place home for going on 26 years, and honestly, I never would have imagined in a million years that Buxton would be in the shape that it is right now," said Wendi Munden, a member of the Buxton Civic Association.
Watch previous coverage: At least 5 OBX homes fall into ocean amid rough surf from offshore hurricanes
The heartbreaking scene stretched along the shoreline – the remnants of six family homes scattered like driftwood across the beach, with each wave dragging pieces out to sea before slamming them back onto what used to be each homeowner's property.
This was the reality in Buxton after Tuesday's collapses, leaving residents watching and wondering: which house will be next?
"My personal thoughts are that Buxton needs to be declared a state of emergency, and we need to get our federal government involved to lift our hardened structures ban, which we have been told that if we put more jetties in, it will help fortify our beaches and help hold the sand, which can help NC-12," said Munden.
Watch related: Community organization continues to push for change after 5 Buxton oceanfront homes fall into ocean in a day
Dare County leaders walked through the devastation Wednesday morning, seeing firsthand what the area has been enduring and talking about what the cleanup plans will look like.
Our newsgathering partner, the Outer Banks Voice, reported that the county is encouraging homeowners to work with their contractors to remove the debris and have it placed along Old Lighthouse Road. Once placed there, the county's contractor will collect and dispose of the material.
“Seeing these houses fall in Buxton is just devastating. It's hard to watch, but the county is committed to doing what we can," said Mary Ellon Ballance, Dare County commissioner representing Hatteras.
There is hope on the horizon. Beach nourishment and jetty repairs are scheduled for the area in 2026. But that feels like a lifetime away when homes are falling into the ocean today.
Watch related: Crews placing sandbags in Buxton as homeowners work to protect their homes
“It's certainly hard to see this happen, and it's not what we wanted to have happen, and I'm sure for the homeowners, it's got to be devastating. But again, all that we can do is what we can do. And we're moving just as quickly as we can to get some sand out here, to get a beach out here, to get a groin down here, to hold the sand, to do the things we've got to do to preserve the beach and maybe continue Buxton in the future, and hopefully this won't happen again," said Dare County manager Bobby Outten.
While the Buxton community waits, there's a shared hope that federal representatives and state elected leaders will finally understand: Buxton can't wait any longer.
“We sit way off the coast, and, yes, we're on a sand bar, but there's been people here for generations and generations. Where there's a will, there's a way. We just have to get rid of some of the red tape that prevents us from getting done what we need to do," said Ballance.
Since 2020, 19 homes have fallen into the ocean on Hatteras Island, 11 in Rodanthe, and seven in Buxton.
