Outer Banks homes in danger of collapse as Hurricane Erin churns in Atlantic

Two Rodanthe homes are at risk of collapse as Hurricane Erin stirs dangerous waves toward the Outer Banks, threatening fragile oceanfront properties.
Posted 8/18/2025, 10:10:33 PM Updated 8/18/2025, 11:00:08 PM

WHEREVER YOU GO ALONG THE

COAST, YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE WATER.

THIS IS A SITE THAT WE'VE SEEN

FOR YEARS. YOU SEE THESE HOMES

COLLAPSING INTO THE SURF AT

RODANTHE AND HOMES ALONG OUR

SHORT CRUMBLING SENDING DEBRIS.

THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM

THAT SENDS DEBRIS OUT INTO THE

WATER WITH AARON APPROACHING

MORE HOMES ARE AT RISK AND

LEADERS IN RODANTHE.

>> HAVE THEIR EYE ON 2 HOMES

IN PARTICULAR ON THE VERGE OF

COLLAPSE. WRAL'S. LIZ

MCLAUGHLIN JOINING US NOW WITH

A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE

VULNERABLE HOUSES AND THE TOUGH

CHOICES LIST THAT COASTAL

COMMUNITIES ARE FACING.

THAT'S RIGHT. THE 2 HOMES

OFFICIALS ARE REALLY WATCHING

RIGHT NOW ON THAT SAME STRETCH

WHERE 3 HOUSES COLLAPSED.

>> IN THE SAME WEEK LAST

SEPTEMBER, INCLUDING 2 THAT

FELL WITHIN HOURS OF EACH OTHER

IN THESE HOMES ARE ALREADY

SURROUNDED BY WATER. MANY FEAR,

POWERFUL SWELLS FROM AARON MAY

BE THE FINAL STRAW CAPE

HATTERAS, NATIONAL SEASHORE

AND DARE COUNTY OF DEALT WITH

MAJOR CLEANUP EFFORTS AFTER

PAST COLLAPSES WITH DEBRIS

SCATTERED FOR MILES.

>> I YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS

VERY STRONG WAVES ENTERS INTO

THE PILINGS. IT'S GONNA

INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF A

PROBLEM. NOT SO, YES, IT'S IT'S

HARD TO PREDICT, BUT THERE'S

CERTAINLY A VERY, VERY

VULNERABLE AND EXPOSED THE

OWNERS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY

TO MOVE THEIR HOMES OUT OF

HARM'S WAY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT

AND FOR I BEEN TOMORROW.

THE SUN LATE LAST YEAR.

>> OFFICIALS SAY THEY'LL BE

MONITORING CONDITIONS CLOSELY

THIS WEEK AS AARON'S WAVES

POUND THE COAST FOR NOW, THESE

2 RODANTHE HOMES REMAIN

STANDING. THEY MAY NOT BE FOR

LONG EARLIER THIS YEAR. ONE

HOMEOWNER IN THAT AREA DEMOLISH

THEIR HOUSE BEFORE THE OCEAN

CLAIMED IT WHILE ANOTHER MOVED

THERE'S INLAND. BUT SOME SAY

THEIR INSURANCE WON'T PAY OUT

UNTIL A HOME ACTUALLY COLLAPSE