RODANTHE, N.C. — Officials with Cape Hatteras National Seashore say that after two days of cleanup, part of the beach that was closed due to a house collapse has been reopened.
The National Seashore says that just a small sliver of beach in front of Rodanthe Village has been reopened. The remaining beach closure is a quarter-mile long and extends from S. Holiday Boulevard to the north end of Ocean Drive.
The collapse happened at 24131 Ocean Drive, likely around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cape Hatteras National Seashore officials.
While it was the first house collapse and cleanup effort along Seashore beaches this year, it is the fourth house to collapse into the ocean from the Ocean Drive stretch of Rodanthe since 2022, and the sixth along Cape Hatteras beaches since 2020.
"This house was a state of potential collapse over the last week, with a vertical loss of sand helping to keep its piling stable," said Dave Hallac, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Officials say that dozens of Seashore employees, volunteers and a debris removal contractor have worked more than two days to clear debris from the collapse. They hope this collapse will have less impact on the beach than those in previous years.
However, visitors are encouraged to wear hard-soled shoes and remain cautious in the water as pieces of debris wash on shore. The National Seashore says debris has spread along a 15-mile section of beach, from around Richard Etheridge Bridge to off-road vehicle ramp 27.
More cleanup efforts are underway and their decision on lifting the remaining closure will come in the upcoming days.