Nearly 50 buildings, homes in Volusia County unsafe after battering by Ian and Nicole

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'The back of the house was gone;' Property manager describes Florida beachfront homes lost to Nicole

About 25 homes in Volusia County were deemed unsafe and some have even collapsed after Hurricane Nicole caused devastating erosion along the beach. Property Manager Krista Goodrich describes opening a door and seeing half of a home gone. 

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Weeks after Hurricane Ian left many sea walls and beachfront properties vulnerable to erosion in Florida, Hurricane Nicole's furious winds and waves turned the already serious situation into a dire one.

Nicole made landfall early Thursday morning near Vero Beach as a Category 1 hurricane before sweeping north and across the Florida Peninsula, causing major flooding. Authorities have attributed at least five deaths to Nicole.

After Nicole, nearly 50 structures in Volusia County have been deemed structurally unsafe due to erosion. These include at least 25 single-family homes in Wilbur-by-the-Sea evacuated after damages.

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Cleanup has already begun along the coastal communities, and CEO of Salty Dog Vacations Krista Goodrich, said property owners do intend to rebuild. 

Goodrich manages several properties in Wilbur-by-the-Sea that are uninhabitable because of erosion damages. She told FOX Weather she was inside a home clearing property for an evacuated homeowner when she opened the backdoor.

"When I opened the door yesterday, it almost felt like if you were opening the door on an airplane, the suction was so horrible. I knew we were in trouble," she said.

A look at the view from the back of a Wilbur-by-the-Sea home damaged during Hurricane Nicole. (Image: Philip Martin)

(FOX Weather)

The back of the house was gone, including the living room, dining room, bedroom and pool.

Two doors down from that home, Goodrich said, a young woman living on her own for the first time came back to discover the back of her patio had collapsed.

Goodrich said the properties sit several hundred feet back from the water, and when they were evacuating residents, it "wasn't even a thought" that the damage could be this bad. The ocean is now lapping at the backyards of all three properties.

Hundreds displaced in Daytona Beach Shores and New Smyrna Beach

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Officials: 49 buildings deemed unsafe following Nicole

According to Volusia County officials, 49 buildings have been deemed unsafe following Nicole until further inspection can be completed.

Throughout the county, 24 hotels and condominium buildings on South Atlantic Avenue have been declared unsafe, and residents have been ordered to leave. All but three of the buildings are in Daytona Beach Shores. The Sea Coast Gardens II Condominiums and two buildings of the Las Brisas Condominiums are in New Smyrna Beach. 

Volusia County Manager George Recktenwald said the structural damage along the coastline is unprecedented. 

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"We have never experienced anything like this before, so we ask for your patience as we make our assessments," Recktenwald said Thursday. "As always, the safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority. This is going to be a long road to recovery."

Ten of the unsafe properties are high-rise buildings along the beach, including the 22-story Grande Coquina Condo.

Several beachfront businesses in Volusia County that suffered damages from Hurricane Ian just weeks ago will now be closed indefinitely after Nicole's angry waves exacerbated the destruction.

The large deck that made Chases on the Beach a popular beachfront restaurant in New Smyrna Beach dropped into the sea as Nicole's storm surge swept the sand dunes away supporting the structure. 

The beach is the 'most dangerous place' right now

Nicole pounded the eastern coast of Florida with wind, rain and relentless waves. The storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday morning near Vero Beach. The influx of water flooded coastal areas and ate away at beaches in the Daytona Beach area.

(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)

It will be some time before beachgoers can plan a day to enjoy the Florida fall weather at the beach in Volusia County, especially if they want to take advantage of driving on the beach.

New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach are the only places in Florida where you can drive on the beach year-round.

A full day after Nicole cleared Florida's east coast, the waves are still reaching the dunes and remaining sea walls, completely covering the beach.

"If you go anywhere near the beach, you are putting your life in jeopardy," Beach Safety Deputy Director Tammy Malphurs said. "The current state of the ocean is unforgiving. You might not make it out if you step foot into the water. We are flying double red flags because there are massive amounts of debris in the water and on the beach, 10- to 12-foot breaking waves, and strong rip currents."

Beach safety crews still need to inspect piers and walkways for damages.  Nicole's waves caused damage to the Daytona Beach Boardwalk, including making the steps to the beach unstable.

Waves crash over the Daytona Beach boardwalk as Tropical Storm Nicole continues to move northwest across Florida on Nov. 10, 2022. (Image: Robert Ray/FOX Weather) 

(FOX Weather)

"We have not yet had the opportunity to assess coastal structures such as piers and walkways. Even during low tide, these structures may collapse without notice," Malphurs said. "At this time the beach is the most dangerous place to be in our county. We will work as hard as we possibly can to make it safe and accessible once again, but it’s going to take time."