old Hōlei Sea Arch has collapsed into the sea
Hawaii's iconic 90-foot-tall Hōlei Sea Arch has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean following years of natural erosion and instability. The National Park Service confirmed the structure's disappearance, noting that such formations are temporary features of the rugged coastline.
Why it matters
The event highlights the dynamic and ever-changing nature of geological landscapes in national parks, serving as a reminder of natural environmental processes.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Grace Eliza Goodwin NPS Photo/Janice Wei Hawaii's famous Hōlei Sea Arch, a 90-foot-tall (27.4m) lava rock structure that formed about 550 years ago, has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean.
The collapse's exact time is not known. The arch was still projecting into the water from the coast of Volcanoes National Park on 23 September, but was gone by 27 September, the National Park Service (NPS) said.
"The coastline flanking the sea arch has shown signs of instability for years," NPS, which warned in 2021 that the arch would eventually crumble, said in a statement.
Located at the end of Chain of Craters Road on the island of Hawaii, also called "the big island", the formation was a popular - and heavily photographed - tourist destination.
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