BUXTON, N.C. — The massive cleanup process continues in Buxton after last week's eight homes collapsed into the ocean.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Dare County and private contractors have all been hard at work getting debris off the oceanfront, and local organizations like the Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men and the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association have also stepped up to help.
"It's a shock. I think I speak for myself, it was crazy seeing all these homes go in all of a sudden and seeing so many," said Joe Diemer, director of the Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men, an organization that has been providing humanitarian aid to Hatteras Island since the 1970s.
Dare County Commissioners chairman Bob Woodard revealed Monday that the total value of all nine homes was nearly $5.5 million. News 3 has been here in the community to see how local organizations have rallied to help during this difficult time.
"They needed big guys with chain saws to do heavy lifting this morning to get stuff out of a few neighborhood homes that had stuff piled up around them. By eight o'clock this morning, we had about 10 people on site, two trailers we backed in, got the stuff loaded up, and it's out here on the road now," said Jay Dimig, a member of the Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men
"We've had team members out there with chainsaws cutting eight-by-eights and six-by-sixes in half, loading them on trucks. Our organization probably put at least 15 to 20 trucks out on the beach, along with members to pick up the debris and clean the beaches," said Mike Regan, with the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association.
It's the neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit that makes the Hatteras Island community so special.
"A lot of people just give out of their heart and desire, and that's what they're made to do here. I think they're just made to do this," said Diemer.
"Hatteras Island is a great community, we're fortunate to be part of it. A lot of our members, they live here in this community. So you know the unique fact about a small beach town community like this, and the amount of effort put forward by a small group of people, and it's tremendous," said Regan.
With another coastal system approaching this weekend into early next week, more than two dozen oceanfront homes in our area remain at risk. But our neighbors say they're ready to help, no matter what comes next.
"It's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. This community, again, I have to say, is like no other really, they're phenomenal people, from the heart," said Janice Regan, with the N.C. Beach Buggy Association.
Dare County, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and private contractors have been working tirelessly since cleanup began last Friday.
The seashore reports their crews have collected 363 pickup truck loads of debris along 2.5 miles of our coastline, and 98% of large debris has been collected. This debris pile at its staging area stretches over 300 feet long and 30 feet wide.
Smaller debris is going to take weeks of mechanized beach raking and roving patrols. The seashore's efforts have been paused with the impending weather making its way to the Outer Banks.
