9 Hatteras Island houses collapsed last week, officials and residents concerned over potential for more this weekend, Dare County increases storm fund by $5 million

From the debris piles from seven other recently collapsed houses, people watch the Atlantic Ocean break apart the eighth collapsed house in Buxton in three days on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Corinne Saunders)

By Corinne Saunders

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MANTEO — Nine unoccupied oceanfront houses on Hatteras Island collapsed over four days last week, eight of them in Buxton and one in Rodanthe, and several officials and residents during Monday’s Dare County Board of Commissioners’ meeting in Manteo expressed concern over this week’s forecast bringing the potential for more destruction.

Amid federal emergency reimbursement uncertainty and as hurricane season continues, commissioners also voted Monday to increase the county’s storm fund by $5 million as a precaution.