Two Outer Banks homes in danger of collapse as Hurricane Erin stirs up the Atlantic

Two oceanfront homes on the Outer Banks are “very, very vulnerable” to collapse as Hurricane Erin, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, churns north in the Atlantic and sends strong waves toward the North Carolina coast.

Mark Gray, with WM Dunn Construction, said “two houses for sure are on the verge of collapse” along G.A. Kohler Court in Rodanthe — the same stretch of shoreline where multiple homes have crumbled into the ocean in recent years.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac said the homes are unoccupied but remain exposed to the pounding surf.

“It’s hard to predict, but they’re certainly very, very vulnerable and exposed,” Hallac said. “If there’s very strong waves smacking into the pilings, it’s going to increase the probability of a problem.”

Erin’s path and potential impacts

As of Friday morning, Hurricane Erin is a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 75 mph. The storm is expected to track north of Puerto Rico this weekend and could intensify into a major hurricane by Sunday morning.

Most forecast models keep Erin well offshore and hundreds of miles east of the U.S. mainland next week, but the storm’s powerful swell could still reach the Outer Banks. Large waves and dangerous rip currents are expected along much of the East Coast from Aug. 20 to Aug. 27.

Hallac said king tides, seasonal high tides that can worsen beach erosion, are not expected during Erin’s closest approach, but wave action alone could threaten unstable oceanfront properties.

A history of home collapses

Rodanthe has become a focal point in the national conversation about the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on coastal communities. The barrier island town has lost more than a dozen homes to the Atlantic since 2020, including six in 2024 alone.

When homes fall, they leave behind dangerous debris that can scatter for miles along the shoreline. After last year’s collapses, crews worked for weeks to remove household materials from the beach.

In some cases, owners have acted to move homes away from the encroaching surf. In February 2025, a former Waves home was relocated about a mile inland to Rodanthe to be used for employee housing. Others have opted for controlled demolitions before collapse to limit debris impacts.

What’s next

Officials with the National Park Service, Dare County and property owners are keeping close watch as Erin moves through the Atlantic. The two endangered homes remain in place, and any decision to move or demolish them would be up to the owners.

Hallac said the seashore has not had to close beaches recently for debris, but that could change quickly if the structures fail.

“We’ll hope all of the structures are able to survive the waves that come through,” he said. “For now, it’s just wait and see.”