Ernesto high surf knocks North Carolina coastal home into the Outer Banks ocean; 7th house in 4 years swept away

RODANTHE, N.C. (WNCN) — As high surf from Hurricane Ernesto hit the North Carolina coast, a home was washed out to sea on Friday, according to fire crews.

Although Ernesto is hundreds of miles out in the Atlantic, the storm is bringing dangerous rip currents and swells to the beaches.

A high surf advisory is warning of beach waves up to 8 feet — combined with high tides and vicious currents, according to the National Weather Service.

The home on Friday that was washed out to sea was in the Rodanthe community on Hatteras Island.

Video showed the home from East Corbina Drive floating in the surf, according to Chicamacomico Banks Fire & Rescue.

“Please do not enter the ocean as the debris will be washing around for the next few days,” fire officials said.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore said Friday’s incident is the seventh house collapse on their beaches over the past four years.

Since 2022, four homes on the North Carolina coast have been taken by the sea.

In mid-March 2023, a one-story home at 23228 East Point Drive in Rodanthe was swallowed by the surf.

In 2022 alone, three homes fell into the sea at the Outer Banks — including two in one day.

The home that disintegrated in the surf in 2023 left debris that was spread along 21 miles of beaches, officials said. One clean-up effort filled 42 truckloads of debris from the beach.

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