MANTEO, N.C. (WAVY) — Debris removal efforts are still underway days after two houses collapsed in Rodanthe.
According to officials from the National Park Service at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the owners of the collapsed homes have contracted debris removal with volunteers and NPS employees helping out to clean the beach.
W.M. Dunn Construction, LLC (Powells Point, N.C.) was hired by the owners of the collapsed houses at 24235 and 24265 Ocean Drive, Rodanthe, N.C., and has worked on cleaning up debris since the day after the collapses.
Officials have brought in the National Park Service’s Eastern Incident Management Team to assist with cleanup operations with debris still being found along approximately 15 miles of the beach.
Visitors are advised to use caution while visiting the beaches on Hatteras Island due to wooden debris that contain exposed nails, wires, broken and exposed septic systems and other hazardous materials.
Not long after two houses collapsed on May 10, the Seashore hosted eight separate volunteer beach cleanup events, resulting in 125 volunteers contributing 215 hours of official volunteer assistance.
The beach adjacent to Ocean Drive in Rodanthe will remain closed until safety hazards are removed. Additional hazards, including exposed septic tanks and wiring, have been observed along the beaches in Rodanthe and Buxton.