Hōlei Sea Arch collapses into the Pacific

Hōlei Sea Arch, a roughly 90-foot coastal landmark in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, the National Park Service said. The agency has not determined exactly when the arch fell, but said it was standing on September 23 and was gone after the park’s temporary closure. The arch is on the southern coast of Hawaiʻi Island, also known as the Big Island. The park service shared before-and-after images showing the formation no longer present. Accounts place its disappearance during the period the park was temporarily closed, but differ on when it was first confirmed gone. The precise timing remains unknown. The closure coincided with Tropical Storm Nolo, and one account said officials suspected the collapse may have occurred during the storm-related closure. The available information does not establish that the storm caused the arch to fall. The National Park Service said Hōlei Sea Arch formed about 550 years ago, as waves eroded an ancient lava flow at the cliff edge. The formation stood about 90 feet high and became a familiar feature of the coastline.