North Carolina, and the beloved surfing community of the Outer Banks, continues to suffer from the wrath of Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto.
Previously, the barrier island enclave saw multiple seaside homes collapse as a result of the storm surge and coastal erosion. Five structures fell into the sea, as locals watched on, with nothing to do but witness and weep while nature did its thing.
Now, more homes have fallen into the ocean. And OBX native Brett Barley was there to document the destruction – in addition to provide some thoughtful context on the situation for those viewing the carnage from the limited scope of a screen.
In his latest vlog showing the situation, posted on Friday morning, Barley wrote:
“The stages of a House Collapse… Not only physically, but emotionally. Last evening, House #8 in Buxton fell into the Atlantic Ocean. Our community stood in awe once again as a part of our town disappeared.”
The Cape Hatteras National Park Service confirmed the latest home collapse on October 2nd, the eighth since September 30th. The majority of the damage has been seen in the community of Buxton. In response, the NPS has “communicated with dozens of owners of other threatened houses to relay concerns about the structural stability of pilings and decks and exposed septic tanks and wires. Owners of threatened structures were strongly urged to fix issues or relocate the house, if possible.” They’ve also been assisting in the cleanup.
Related: 5 Outer Banks Homes Collapse Amid Hurricane Surf (Video)
But in the meantime, there’s a group of residents watching in real-time as their community disappears at the hands of mother nature. For a little context on what that’s like, here’s Barley:
“The majority of these homes were built by locals, they are maintained by locals, the visitors who come & stay in them support the local economy… They are more than ‘just someone’s rental property.’ They are part of this community regardless of who owns it… They have helped put food on the table for many families here over and over again. They have made memories for those who come and stay… Weddings, Birthdays, Honeymoons, Family Vacations, etc… They are part of the memories of those who live here and work/play amongst the beach and neighborhoods they make up.”
Our hearts go out to the good people of OBX.
Related: Hurricane Swell Gobbles Homes on East Coast (Video)