Five unoccupied homes have collapsed and been swept into the Atlantic Ocean along North Carolina 's Outer Banks on Tuesday as powerful waves from hurricanes Humberto and Imelda slam the southeastern coast . Three of the homes that collapsed were neighbors on Cottage Avenue, and two other neighboring homes fell on Tower Circle Road. Both hurricanes are steering clear of the Eastern Seaboard, but powerful waves are expected to batter the coast through the week. "(This will result) in an elevated threat of property damage," the National Weather Service warned. North Carolina's Highway 12 was shut down along the north end of Ocracoke Island as increasing ocean overwash has made travel conditions dangerous along the highway, North Carolina Department of Transportation officials said.