A home on the North Shore of Oʻahu collapsed onto the beach this week in an area that is prone to beach erosion from high energy waves that draw professional surfers from around the world.
State officials said the home collapse on Monday morning at 59-181H Ke Nui Road did not come as a surprise, and there were no injuries.
Homeowners on the stretch of sand where the home collapsed have been inundated by powerful waves and beach erosion for years, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement Monday.
“This is a terrible situation. We feel badly for the homeowner and everybody who lives along this stretch. This has been a long time coming," said department Chair Suzanne Case. "It’s a dangerous situation, as debris is falling into the ocean.”
Case said the homes are built on sand berms and other houses are expected to eventually be lost to crashing waves. Mitigation efforts to save the homes are only temporary, she said.
The sand berms are geological features known to be “transient,” officials said in the statement.
The north shore of Oʻahu is home to some of the most powerful waves in the world, where professional surfers compete every winter.
“This is sad…climate change, sea level rise, and wave energy in new powerful patterns. This is a beach that’s important to everyone. The houses are built on sand berms and there’s just no way they can last long-term. We continue to encourage the homeowners here to seek other alternatives,” Case added.
