HAWAII — Hawaii’s iconic Holei Sea Arch, a natural lava-rock formation believed to have formed around 550 years ago, has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) said.
Standing about 90 feet (27.4 metres) high, the sea arch was a popular tourist attraction and a frequently photographed landmark along the coast of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The exact time of the collapse remains unknown. According to the NPS, the arch was still extending over the ocean from the park’s coastline on September 23, but had disappeared by September 27.
The agency said the cliffs on both sides of the arch had shown signs of instability for years. In 2021, the NPS warned that the natural structure would eventually collapse.
The Holei Sea Arch was located near the end of the Chain of Craters Road on Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island.
The park was temporarily closed last week as Tropical Storm Nolo passed through the area. The storm is believed to have contributed to the collapse, although the exact cause has not been confirmed.
The arch’s surrounding landscape had been weakened by seismic activity linked to the 2018 eruption of Kilauea volcano and the collapse of its summit, according to the park service.
In January 2020, park authorities closed the main viewing area after detecting new cracks and signs of instability in the cliffs near the arch. A new viewing area was opened several months later at a safer distance.
Later that year, waves generated by another tropical storm broke off a large section of rock from the lower part of the arch.
The NPS had previously described the formation as beautiful but temporary, warning that it had a limited lifespan and would eventually collapse into the sea. The agency also noted that as the coastline gradually retreats inland, other natural formations would emerge to replace it.
Following the announcement of the collapse on social media, thousands of people reacted to the news, with many sharing memories and photographs of visits to the landmark.
The disappearance of the arch has prompted widespread reflection on the changing nature of Hawaii’s volcanic coastline and the temporary character of geological formations shaped by erosion and the sea.
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