21-mile debris trail appears along Outer Banks after home breaks apart in the ocean

The three-bedroom home that fell into the ocean on North Carolina’s Outer Banks created a debris trail 21 miles long, according to the National Park Service.

This includes a toilet that appeared upright near the Rodanthe Pier, photos show.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore began a “proactive clean up” Tuesday, March 14, to prevent beachgoers from stepping on nails, glass and jagged metal in the sand.

“Almost all the house debris has washed away from the property and spread to the north and south,” the park reported in a news release.

“As of 3 p.m. (Tuesday), National Park Service employees have collected and removed 20 truckloads of house debris from the beach.”

The 1,100-square-foot home, located at 23228 East Point Drive in Rodanthe, fell into the water midday Monday and eventually broke apart as it was pounded by heavy surf. It happened as the Outer Banks faced a high surf advisory, with forecasters predicting “large breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet in the surf zone” and localized beach erosion.

The home was valued at around $417,000, according to Zillow.com.

“In a March 11, 2022, communication to the owner of 23228 East Point Drive, the Seashore recommended actions be taken to mitigate threats to Seashore lands and waters. As of (March 14), the owner of the house has not developed a plan to clean up the debris,” the park reports.

“National Park Service employees will continue to clean up debris, and there may be formal volunteer cleanup opportunities once conditions improve.”

Beach erosion has caused four Rodanthe homes to collapse into the ocean over the past 13 months, including two in May, McClatchy News reported.

This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 7:28 AM with the headline "21-mile debris trail appears along Outer Banks after home breaks apart in the ocean."