News Release

Cape Hatteras National Seashore reopens portion of beach in front of Rodanthe

Photo of Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s surf rake on the beach. The surf rake will be used to collect small pieces of debris.

NPS

News Release Date: May 30, 2024

Contact: Mike Barber, 252-475-9032

MANTEO, N.C. — Following two days of debris cleanup associated with a March 28 house collapse, Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) has reopened approximately seven-tenths-of-a-mile of beach in front of Rodanthe Village. The current beach closure—measuring approximately a quarter mile—extends from S. Holiday Boulevard to the north end of Ocean Drive in Rodanthe.

On the morning of May 28, the Seashore responded to an unoccupied house collapse at 24131 Ocean Drive in Rodanthe. Over the past two days, dozens of Seashore employees, with assistance from volunteers and a debris removal contractor, have worked to remove a large amount of house collapse debris across miles of beaches in northern Rodanthe. By deploying a large group of employees soon after the house collapse, the Seashore hopes that this particular house collapse creates fewer long-term impacts to the beach than collapses in prior years.

While it is an encouraging sign that enough debris has been collected to be able to reopen a portion of the beach, visitors should consider wearing hard-soled shoes and remain cautious on the beach and in the water in front of Rodanthe as pieces of debris continue to wash ashore. Wind, currents and waves have spread low-density debris along an approximately 15-mile-long section of beach, from around the Richard Etheridge Bridge to off-road vehicle ramp 27.

The Seashore is planning to use a piece of heavy equipment today to rake up some of the smaller debris located to the north of the house collapse site. A decision on the lifting of the remaining closure will be made in the coming days.

Beach debris cleanup photos are available on the Seashore’s Flickr page.