Jaw-dropping moment gorgeous beachside home in North Carolina plummets into the ocean – as officials issues stark warning

Authorities have issued a warning after a vacant beachfront home in North Carolina’s Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean.

Images from the house in Rodanthe show it collapsing after it was hit by Hurricane Ernesto on Friday.

The photo shows the two-story home being tossed around by the waves before it begins to fall apart in the rough waters.

The photo shows part of the porch falling apart as the house collapses in front of dozens of bystanders, who can be heard saying, “Oh my God.”

According to authorities, no one was in the house at the time and no injuries were reported. Authorities have advised locals to stay away from the water.

Images of the house in Rodanthe show it collapsing after it was hit by a swell from Hurricane Ernesto on Friday. The debris that remains of the house can be seen here

Cape Hatteras National Seashore said in a statement: “Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge urge all visitors to avoid the beaches and stay out of the water around all areas of the beaches and surf in Rodanthe.

“Many other homes appear to have sustained damage in the Rodanthe area. Hazardous debris may be present on the beach and in the water for more than a dozen miles.

‘Prevailing currents appear to be rapidly transporting the debris from houses northwards. However, if the waves increase and the wind changes over the next few days, the debris could also affect the safety of visitors to the villages of Waves and Salvo.

‘The Seashore is in contact with the owner of the property. The owner has not yet found a contractor to clean up the debris.

‘The Seashore does not expect to clear significant amounts of debris before elevated sea levels recede early next week.’

Aftermath images show picturesque beaches littered with house debris.

According to the National Park Service, this is the seventh house to collapse on Seashore beaches in the past four years.

Chicamacomico Banks Fire & Rescue has warned that it’s “going to be a rough weekend” and strongly advises everyone against going into the ocean.

Images of the aftermath show the picturesque beaches littered with debris from the house

According to the National Park Service, the collapse is the seventh house to collapse on Seashore beaches in the past four years.

In May, an almost identical incident occurred when another house on the beach in Rodanthe collapsed and fell into the water.

More than 50 beaches along the East Coast were closed Saturday, in part due to dangerous rip currents ahead of Hurricane Ernesto.

The hurricane passed over Bermuda early Saturday morning as a Category 1 storm and is not expected to make landfall in the U.S.

The National Hurricane Center reported life-threatening surf and rip currents along the east coast, saying they will reach Canada later today and move past southeastern Newfoundland Monday evening.

In New York City, authorities closed ocean-facing beaches in Brooklyn and Queens to swimming and wading on Saturday and Sunday

Lifeguards were still present monitoring the beaches and warning people to stay out of the water.

“New Yorkers need to know that the ocean is mightier than you, especially this weekend,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

He continued: ‘Do not risk your own life, or that of emergency workers, by going swimming while our beaches are closed.’

According to hurricane expert Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center, Ernesto is still a “fairly large” hurricane with “major sea and wave impact,” affecting the central Atlantic coastline from Florida all the way to Long Island, New York.

This satellite image shows Hurricane Ernesto in the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Bermuda, Friday, August 16, 2024

Papin said, “Across the entire U.S. Eastern Seaboard region, we could see high waves and significant rip current threats along the coast.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes rip currents as “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water” that flow at speeds of up to 8 feet (2.44 meters) per second.

Weather officials are also warning the public in New England of dangerous currents as a result of Ernesto.

“Even if Ernesto remains well offshore of the U.S. East Coast, beachgoers should be aware that there is a significant risk of deadly rip currents beginning later this week,” the National Hurricane Center said this week.

According to the World Health Organization, thirty people have died from floods this year alone. National Weather Service.