Strong winds from a low pressure system over North Carolina's Outer Banks wreaked more havoc on Oct. 28, flooding the island chain's only highway in several locations and collapsing another five unoccupied houses in Buxton.
The houses are among 16 that have collapsed along the coast on Hatteras Island in just six weeks, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore announced on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The scattered debris and housing materials from the collapsed houses forced two beach closures within the Seashore, the park service said in a Facebook post. It advised visitors to avoid travel for at least one hour before and after high tide, when the ocean washing over the road and water seeping onto the road are more likely.
The closures are in place "because of dozens of threatened oceanfront structures that may break apart or collapse, releasing hazardous debris into the water and onto Seashore beaches," the post stated. "The proximity of these damaged structures to Seashore lands poses a serious risk to visitors walking along the beach or wading in the surf.
Winds along the Outer Banks gusted into the 40s and 50s on Oct. 28, as well as large breaking waves and high water levels, the National Weather Service reported. The coastal flooding conditions and rough surf were forecast to continue through Wednesday, the weather service said.
