UPDATE: Debris spreads more than 20 miles from site of collapsed Rodanthe houses
Debris was reported at least 20 miles away from the site of two home collapses, (with debris washing ashore near ORV Ramp 38 in Avon), after Saturday morning’s high tide created a new wave of challenges for the ongoing cleanup efforts.
The two homes on G A Kohler Court collapsed on Friday, September 20, with the first home falling into the ocean in the early morning hours, and the second home falling at around 9:15 p.m.
“The ocean is just so powerful right now, and there is so much debris, that this is going to take some time to get under control,” said David Hallac, National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent.
The owner of the first home had a debris clean-up contractor at the site on Friday, and the family was also participating in cleanup efforts after arriving from Virginia. The owner of the second home told National Park Service (NPS) staff that they working to enlist a contractor to help with debris removal.
NPS staff have also been on the site to conduct debris removal efforts since Friday morning, with 19 NPS personnel assisting with the clean-up on Friday, and 12 currently at the site as of Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
“They are working as hard as they can between the collapse site and the Rodanthe Pier, and as far south as ORV Ramp 23,” said Hallac.
Piles of debris were stacked up above the high tide line on Friday, however, Saturday’s 10:30 a.m. high tide produced elevated water levels and many of the debris piles had washed back into the ocean, according to Hallac.
There is also concern among people at the site of the collapses that a third bank-owned home located at 23039 G A Kohler Ct. may also fall in the immediate future.
Per a Friday update from the National Weather Service, 1-2 feet of oceanside flooding will continue to be possible through early next week, especially around Saturday and Sunday’s high tides.
With the Rodanthe shoreline severely eroded, and ocean overwash reported on adjacent side streets, removing debris will continue to be a struggle over the next several days.
“It’s a very challenging situation right now until the current conditions subside,” said Hallac.
CHNS advised visitors to avoid the beach in a Saturday morning press release due to dangerous debris in the water and on the shoreline.
“At the north end of Rodanthe and for miles to the south, [CHNS] urges visitors to stay out of the water and wear hard-soled shoes when walking on the beach to avoid injuries from hazardous floating debris and nail-ridden wooden debris,” stated the press release. “Due to potentially dangerous debris on the beach and in the water to the north and south of the collapse site, temporary beach closures for public safety may be necessary.”
The home that collapsed on Friday morning was located at 23001 G A Kohler Court in Rodanthe and was built in 1992. The second home was located at 23009 G A Kohler Court and was built in 1981. Both homes were unoccupied at the time of collapsing.
There have been four home collapses in Rodanthe in 2024, and nine home collapses since 2020. The previous 2024 home collapses included an unoccupied home on Corbina Drive that collapsed on August 16 and a home at the end of Ocean Drive in Rodanthe that collapsed on May 28.
All of these home collapses resulted in a large debris field on Hatteras Island, which was addressed and cleaned up by the National Park Service, local volunteers, and/or contractors enlisted by the homeowners.
For more information on Friday’s home collapses, click here.
