Beachside Wilbur-by-the-Sea home teeters on edge as Nicole devours Florida shore

WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. – A Wilbur-by-the-Sea beachside home was left on the edge of a sandy cliff early Wednesday after rough surf and storm surge caused by Hurricane Nicole washed away about 20 feet of sand and yard.

Video from the scene shows a bricked area outside the home partially washed away, with just inches of sand left between the house and the beach below.

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“We evacuated this owner (Wednesday) morning. He’s headed out of state. He didn’t want to see it (collapse), obviously,” the property manager said. “We manage the two properties next door, (so) we’ve also evacuated them. Those backyards are also mostly collapsed.”

Later, the property manager said the doors to one of the houses were no longer closing, likely meaning the house was shifting.

After Hurricane Ian ravaged Florida several weeks ago, Volusia officials said about a dozen properties, including houses, condos and hotels, were in danger of collapsing.

Earlier Wednesday, a Beach Safety Office building collapsed onto the beach.

A mandatory evacuation is in effect at 4 p.m. Wednesday for beachside residents as officials fear the continued battering from Nicole will damage or collapse more buildings.

Nicole is expected to strike southeast Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, battering the Orlando area with rain, strong winds, rough surf, storm surge and more.

In nearby Flagler County, officials urged residents to seek shelter elsewhere.

Barrier islands are under a mandatory evacuation there, too.

“We also encourage everyone to not come to the barrier island to see the water. As you can see, it’s getting angrier by the minute,” the Flagler Sheriff’s Office posted on Twitter.

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