Nature's fury: 20 homes left in ruin

Buildings battling for survival

Abandoned to their fate, countless homes around the world have lost the battle against the forces of nature, whether they've been consumed by the desert, swallowed by the sea, decimated by storms or engulfed by greenery.

Read on to see these incredible pictures that show just how fragile our dwellings really are when pitched against the power of Mother Earth...

Wamberal, New South Wales, Australia

Owning a beachfront home on the glistening shoreline of New South Wales might sound like the dream, but thanks to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and an increasingly unreliable climate, the residents of Wamberal now have a nightmare on their hands...

Wamberal, New South Wales, Australia

Located just north of Sydney, the coastal suburb is slowly losing the fight against the forces of nature. As ferocious storms and aggressive waves have battered its shores since the 1970s, the land beneath these once-desirable beach houses has been whittled away, leaving them exposed to the elements and at risk of crumbling into the ocean.

Following a particularly severe storm in July 2020, some of the homes are now balanced on a knife's edge strip of land, while others have already begun to slouch into the ocean.

Wamberal, New South Wales, Australia

Property owners are keen to see a proposed seawall approved by the local council which they say could help to defend the remaining properties from further deterioration.

However, the project has seen fierce opposition and protests from the community who say that not only will it not stop the erosion but it could cripple the tourism industry in the local area.

Abandoned Craftsman home, Alabama, USA

Designed to sit in harmony with its natural surroundings, this charming Craftsman home in Alabama, USA, is now somewhat ironically being taken back by Mother Nature. Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast battled through the undergrowth to capture the neglected Arts and Crafts beauty, which was once a treasured local landmark.

Abandoned Craftsman home, Alabama, USA

The property was designed in 1915 by an Atlanta-based architect for a wealthy local family. Positioned on the site of a former plantation, the two-storey farmhouse is now enveloped by trees and dense overgrowth.

Abandoned Craftsman home, Alabama, USA

Inside, many of the rooms are not only overflowing with personal effects but wayward branches and vines, too. Broken windows and cracks in the roof have also led to significant water damage and a serious damp problem. We hope one day this mysterious abandoned Craftsman will be restored to its former glory.

Villa Massoni, Tuscany, Italy

You might ask yourself the obvious question: if you had such a regal residence in Tuscany, one of the most beautiful regions in the world, why would you ever abandon it? Yet sadly, this dilapidated dream home has been uninhabited for decades and has gradually been reclaimed by the undergrowth.

Villa Massoni, Tuscany, Italy

Known as Villa Massoni, the crumbling stately home sits on a prominent hillside plot and was a long-standing symbol of aristocratic power. Now on the verge of being swallowed up by the surrounding vegetation, the property found itself at the centre of a shocking news story back in 2017...

Villa Massoni, Tuscany, Italy

The historic estate belonged to two brothers, Marco and Piero Casonato. In 2017, the siblings got into a furious argument over the future of the villa, which saw Marco climb into his car and fatally run over his brother. He was sentenced to 18 years behind bars, according to Repubblica. Who knew that the story of Villa Massoni would end so tragically?

Al Madam, Sharjah, UAE

Over the years, the village of Al Madam in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, has slowly been swallowed up by the desert. Located less than an hour from Dubai, the former settlement is now an abandoned ghost town with the rooflines of deserted homes just visible beneath the seemingly endless sand dunes.

Al Madam, Sharjah, UAE

The hamlet once offered two rows of houses with a mosque situated at one end. Over time, each building has been engulfed by sand, which has poured through windows, overtaken gardens and swept away beloved possessions. In some of the homes, you can still see personal effects that were clearly abandoned in haste, leading many to believe the village is haunted.

Al Madam, Sharjah, UAE

Thought to have been built in the 1970s, superstitious locals believe that Al Madam’s fate was down to an evil genie, however, others think its downfall was more likely due to fierce sandstorms. Left deserted for more than 30 years, many visitors still make the trip to Al Madam to witness the remnants of the community.

Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers, Vienne, France

Like something out of a fairytale, the romantic ruins of Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers can be found in the heart of France's breathtaking Loire Valley. Dating back to the 13th century, when it was the seat of the aristocratic Bauçay family, the moated château was captured twice by English forces during the Medieval period and devastated following the French Revolution of 1789.

Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers, Vienne, France

The château was then the home of the affluent Lejeune family, until one fateful day in 1932. Baron Edgar Lejeune attempted to install an innovative central heating system inside the building, but a catastrophic fire broke out and destroyed many of the home's spectacular rooms. The blaze instantly turned this 19th-century marvel into a living ruin.

Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers, Vienne, France

Over the decades, what remains of the grand estate has been taken over by Mother Nature, with trees rising up among the turrets and undergrowth making a home for itself within the château's walls. But its fortunes changed when a group called the 'Friends of the Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers' raised money to help preserve the abandoned stately home.

The landmark now belongs to a community of more than 25,000 people from all around the world and the company behind the fundraising initiative claims to have raised more than €1.6 million (£1.3m/$1.8m). The chateau grounds are now regularly open for events and some restoration work has already been completed by volunteers.

Houtouwan, Shengshan Island, China

This picture, taken in June 2018, shows a forgotten village on Shengshan Island in China's eastern Zhejiang province. The former homes have been engulfed by vegetation and are now ghostly green outlines of their former selves.

Houtouwan, Shengshan Island, China

Once upon a time, Houtouwan was a thriving fishing community of over 2,000 fishermen, with 500 family homes formed from sturdy brick, built across the slopes of this mountainous island.

Houtouwan, Shengshan Island, China

However, due to its remote location, residents started moving away from the outpost in the 1990s and its streets soon fell silent. Now eerily abandoned, entire houses have been consumed by the overgrowth, returning to nature once more.

Pacifica, California, USA

Living life on the edge, the unlucky residents of these ocean-facing homes on Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica, California, got the shock of their lives in January 2016. Already plagued by severe coastal erosion and battling for survival against the sea, Mother Nature was about to make things a whole lot worse.

Pacifica, California, USA

Following a run of violent El Niño storms, the ground beneath several apartment blocks was washed into the sea, leaving many teetering on the verge of collapse, while others were all but lost to the ocean.

Pacifica, California, USA

The city declared a state of emergency and all residents at risk were evacuated immediately. Sadly, many ended up losing their homes to the all-powerful Pacific, with a number of buildings condemned and later demolished.

Vilano Beach, Florida, USA

California isn't the only American state grappling with relentless coastal erosion. Florida also has its fair share of issues when it comes to receding shorelines, most notably in Vilano Beach. Positioned in an exposed location on Florida's Atlantic shoreline, the homes in this community are in serious jeopardy.

Vilano Beach, Florida, USA

Perched precariously on the shoreline, every time a hurricane or tropical storm hits, the residents of Vilano Beach worry whether their vacation homes will end up being claimed by the ocean, and many dwellings have already succumbed to these potent forces of nature.

Vilano Beach, Florida, USA

Hurricane Matthew was especially devastating and saw untold damage wreaked on homes along the coast, with walls and roofs stripped away and some homes collapsing.

In August 2023, a 'renourishment' project began, replacing sand on three miles of shoreline. However, more homes have since been issued unsafe structure notices and the beach's infamous 'blue house' (captured on video by First Coast News) was finally torn down last summer after making a brief appearance on the market for an optimistic £942,000 ($1.2m).

Fir tree house, Hemsedal, Norway

Left alone while nature takes its course, this long-abandoned cottage is now home to several spruce trees that have reclaimed the rundown structure as their own.

Fir tree house, Hemsedal, Norway

Rustic farmhouses with turf roofs are common in the Norwegian countryside, but they don't tend to be as overgrown as this beauty in Hemsedal.

Fir tree house, Hemsedal, Norway

How the abandoned tiny home came to be vacated and intertwined with nature is something of a mystery – we wonder what happened to the last inhabitants of this derelict country cabin...

Holland Island, Maryland, USA

The last house standing on the rapidly-eroding Holland Island in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, this ramshackle home is said to have been built in 1888.

Holland Island, Maryland, USA

A bustling community of fishermen and their families lived on the island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, residents battled with the eroding shoreline for decades, and the last family reportedly left in 1918 when a storm all but destroyed the local church.

Holland Island, Maryland, USA

One by one, the Atlantic claimed the abandoned homes, but the island's last house stayed standing until October 2010, when a fierce storm sadly finished the structure off for good.

Hemsby, Norfolk, UK

Perched on the edge of an eroding shoreline, these coastal homes in the British town of Hemsby in Norfolk didn't stand a chance when Mother Nature hit them with one of the worst storms in living memory back in 2013. Seven properties were decimated beyond repair and scores more were seriously damaged.

Hemsby, Norfolk, UK

Years later in March 2018, when the 'Beast from the East' storm struck, the village was one of the worst affected spots on the Norfolk coast. During the tempest, a total of 13 clifftop homes in an area of the seafront called The Marrams were left uninhabitable.

Hemsby, Norfolk, UK

In a recent study, almost 100 properties in Hemsby were deemed vulnerable to collapse in the next 25 years and, at the end of 2023, five wooden homes had to be demolished by the council. What's more, persistent high tides and strong winds caused a 650-foot stretch of road to fall onto the beach.

Talks to construct a multimillion-pound rock berm defence system to protect the village have currently stalled as local authorities announced in October 2023 that Hemsby did not qualify for "sufficient government funding" for the project.

Gagra, Abkhazia, Georgia

One of the world's most disputed territories, the partially-recognised Black Sea state of Abkhazia has been in turmoil since the breakup of the Soviet Union and Georgia's subsequent civil war, which saw many people flee from their homes.

Gagra, Abkhazia, Georgia

As a result, the state is awash with abandoned, overgrown buildings, including this crumbling mansion in the town of Gagra. Its once-grand arched windows have now been reduced to empty, gaping holes and vines are engulfing the structure.

Gagra, Abkhazia, Georgia

Seemingly destined to return to nature, derelict houses like this forlorn ruin pepper the tumultuous region, a reminder of the civil war that raged here from 1992 to 1993.

Hull, Massachusetts, USA

Located on a peninsula at the southern edge of Boston Harbor in Massachusetts, Hull is a town celebrated for its beaches, seafood and views of the Boston skyline. Yet its exposed position also means the town has become synonymous with spectacular weather spells.

Hull, Massachusetts, USA

A huge storm hit Hull one weekend in late January 2005. The area was covered with ice, causing major damage to properties and businesses as it melted and refroze in the month's biting temperatures. The buildings along the town's oceanfront resembled sculptures, completely coated in sub-zero frost.

Hull, Massachusetts, USA

Yet this overwhelming storm was just one of many to take over this normally picturesque coastal community. Over the years, destructive high tidal surges, mass flooding and bitter winds have battered the homes that sit along the community's beaches. Regularly attacked by Mother Nature, it may not be long before these waterfront homes give in to their fate.

Skipsea, East Yorkshire, UK

The village of Skipsea in East Yorkshire, UK, is gradually being consumed by the ocean. Located on Britain's east coast, the small community was once a thriving spot for holidaymakers, but over the decades, mass erosion has eaten away at the coastline, leaving many of the homes at risk of tumbling into the sea.

Skipsea, East Yorkshire, UK

In 2020, The Guardian confirmed that Skipsea is part of the fastest-eroding coastline in northern Europe and residents were warned that their homes could be lost forever in less than 12 months. In addition, according to the book Sands of Time: A History of Skipsea, on average, there is a loss of 7.5 feet of land per year.

Skipsea, East Yorkshire, UK

Highlighting the devastating consequences of rising sea levels and climate-related superstorms, Skipsea lost more than 32 feet of cliffside across a two-mile stretch of coast in just nine months in 2019.

Despite this, there are currently no plans for intervention, however, if a property is "less than 9.3m from the cliff edge" a homeowner may be eligible for support in the form of financial assistance and free advice.

Union Beach, New Jersey, USA

Nestled on the coast just south of New York City, the community of Union Beach is exposed to the temperamental North Atlantic Ocean. No stranger to storms and strong winds, the coastal town found itself facing unprecedented damage in late 2012.

Union Beach, New Jersey, USA

According to the town's administrator, it's thought that around 85% of homes in Union Beach were damaged, with roughly $6.3 million (£5m) spent on removing debris and attempting to salvage possessions.

Union Beach, New Jersey, USA

In 2019, Curbed reported that more than 350 homes had been rebuilt or raised off the ground on stills in the hopes of protecting them from flood damage in the years to come.

Last spring, a £39 million ($50m) Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project began on Union Beach, with the first phase of construction expected to be completed this year in the hope of bringing residential and commercial properties back from the brink.

Kolmanskop, Namib, Namibia

As spine-tingling as it is fascinating, Kolmanskop in Namibia is one of the world's most haunting ghost towns. The community was founded in the early 1900s after a local railway worker discovered diamonds in the area's sand dunes. Unsurprisingly, hordes of miners descended on Kolmanskop, building homes to live in while they hunted for glistening gems.

Kolmanskop, Namib, Namibia

The town quickly became an opulent outpost and had everything from a bakery, butchers and post office to an ice cream factory and a railway. Yet intensive mining following the First World War soon depleted the area's resources, so when a new diamond field was discovered to the south, the town's residents packed up and left, abandoning their homes and their possessions.

Kolmanskop, Namib, Namibia

By 1956, Kolmanskop was completely empty and the area's once-abundant dunes steadily reclaimed the man-made structures, bursting through windows and doors and filling the abandoned houses with waves of sand. Now a tourist destination, this eerie ghost town is a sad reminder of the power of nature.

Ross Island, Andaman Islands, India

Ross Island, officially known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, is a historic tourist attraction. It served as a British penal colony from the mid-19^th century up through the Second World War, barring a brief period of takeover by the Japanese between 1942-45.

Ross Island, Andaman Islands, India

Today, the ruins of the former colony remain a popular location for both history buffs and nature lovers alike. Left unattended for many decades, the remnants of British architecture, like this former Presbyterian church, are slowly being devoured by the surrounding jungle.

Explorers can also discover abandoned Japanese bunkers and other structures that serve as a reminder of Ross Island's unsettling wartime history.

Ross Island, Andaman Islands, India

With enormous knots of Ficus tree roots, waterfalls of trailing vines and a lush canopy of palms, it’s hard to tell the original structures from the jungle foliage. It seems like it will only be a matter of time before this colonial relic is reclaimed by nature.

Paronella Park, Queensland, Australia

This heritage-listed tourist attraction in Mena Creek, Queensland, Australia was first opened to the public in 1935 presented by José Paronella of Catalonia, Spain. Paronella had purchased 13 acres of virgin scrub in 1929 for £120 ($153) and transformed it into a magnificent pleasure garden and public reception centre.

Paronella Park, Queensland, Australia

Paronella first built a house made out of stone for himself and his wife, Margarita, before creating this magnificent castle from reinforced concrete, the reinforcing being old railway tracks.

While the buildings have stood the test of time well, the rest of the park is now a riot of trees, flowers, climbing vines and other flora. In fact, Paronella planted upwards of 7,000 trees before he passed away in 1948.

Paronella Park, Queensland, Australia

In addition to a fire which swept through the castle in 1979, subsequent cyclones and floods have battered the park over the years. But while it may look like nature is trying to further reclaim the land, the park is still lovingly maintained and is open to the public year-round, with beautiful waterfalls, picnic areas, refreshment rooms, tennis courts and a museum.

Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde, France

Though seemingly idyllic, the picturesque town of Soulac-sur-Mer in southwestern France is, in fact, slowly crumbling into the sea. The town sits perched on the Aquitaine coast, whose shoreline is rapidly receding as the result of climate change, a situation which is anticipated to worsen dramatically.

Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde, France

This dystopian-looking building has become somewhat symbolic of the state of coastal erosion in France. Known as the Le Signal apartment building, the complex was built in the 1960s on an artificial dune which, at the time, was situated a good 600 feet from the shoreline.

Soulac-sur-Mer, Gironde, France

However, as time passed, the encroaching sea made the building increasingly dangerous to live in, and it was finally evacuated in 2014 and quickly condemned thereafter. Le Signal was demolished in 2023, and at the time of its destruction, stood just 40 feet away from the waterline, a series of eight winter storms having hastened the coastal erosion.

Kayaköy ghost town, Fethiye, Turkey

This deserted village sits in the western part of Turkey, just across the water from Greece. Since the 14th century, Anatolian Muslims and Greek Orthodox Christians lived side by side here, until conflict drove the two communities apart and reduced the hillside to a ghost town.

Kayaköy ghost town, Fethiye, Turkey

In 1923, at the end of the second Greco-Turkish War, a strange population swap took place. As part of the Treaty of Lausanne, Turkey's Christian residents and Greece's Muslim citizens were forcibly exchanged and expelled from their homes, in a move that ensured each country had only one dominant religion. Kayaköy was deserted for good and left to become overrun with vegetation and wildlife.

Kayaköy ghost town, Fethiye, Turkey

Today, Kayaköy is a popular site for tourists. A few of the homes have since been restored, but for the most part, this once-thriving village remains a ghostly shell of its former self, destined to fascinate all who wander through its overgrown streets.