Hawaii's 550-Year-Old Hōlei Sea Arch Collapses After Storms

Hawaii's iconic Hōlei sea arch, a natural landmark that had stood for approximately 550 years, has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean. The lava rock formation, located within Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, crumbled sometime over the past weekend.

The National Park Service confirmed the arch's demise, attributing its fall to the cumulative effects of recent rough storms that have battered the region. The Hōlei sea arch was a prominent geological feature, standing about 90 feet high and formed by centuries of wave erosion against the volcanic cliffs. Its collapse underscores the powerful and ever-changing nature of coastal environments.