Hawaii's well-known Hōlei Sea Arch, a 90-foot-tall lava rock structure that formed around 550 years ago, has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean. The National Park Service (NPS) stated that the arch was still visible on 23 September but had disappeared by 27 September.
The NPS indicated that the coastline near the arch had shown signs of instability for several years, and they had warned in 2021 that the arch would eventually crumble. Earthquakes during the 2018 Kīlauea volcano eruption and summit collapse had damaged nearby cliffs.
The arch, located at the end of Chain of Craters Road on the island of Hawaii, was a frequently photographed tourist attraction. Its collapse is believed to have occurred when the park was temporarily closed during Tropical Storm Nolo last weekend.