MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCN) -- Amid a coastal flood warning at the North Carolina Outer Banks, five beachfront homes on Hatteras Island collapsed into the ocean on Tuesday, according to reports.

The houses collapsed in Buxton on Tuesday afternoon during a period of just over an hour as the offshore Hurricane Imelda triggered flooding and high surf, The Island Free Press reported. Video showed a home sinking in the surf and a large amount of debris floating among the waves.

One home collapsed in the area exactly two weeks ago, and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore closed beach areas because of the threat that homes could "break apart or collapse."

Meanwhile, N.C. 12 was closed Tuesday near Ocracoke Island following the arrival of the last ferry due to an increasing ocean overwash, accor

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