The Outer Banks are on the front line of climate change in North Carolina: they are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion caused by climate change, compounding existing coastal erosion caused by poor coastal management and construction practices. In some locations on the banks, sea levels rose 5 inches from 2011 to 2015. Some sections have significantly eroded already, with portions of Hatteras Island at 25% of its original width as of 2014. Tropical storms like Hurricane Irene in 2011 have already destroyed significant infrastructure and property.