The 550‑year‑old Hōlei Sea Arch, an iconic lava‑rock formation that jutted out from the coastal cliffs of Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park, collapsed sometime over the past weekend.
Carved by successive lava flows that solidified into basalt, the sea arch had become a striking natural landmark on the island of Hawaiʻi, drawing visitors who walked the park’s shoreline to view the towering arch against the Pacific Ocean.
Located on the park’s rugged western coast, the arch was part of the park’s dramatic volcanic landscape, which includes active volcanoes, lava tubes and black‑sand beaches that together illustrate the island’s geologic evolution.
Sea arches are formed by the relentless action of waves eroding weaker sections of volcanic rock, and over centuries they can become unstable. Natural erosion and the forces of the ocean are common causes of such collapses, which are a normal part of the coastal cycle.
The loss of Hōlei Sea Arch marks the disappearance of a beloved feature of Volcanoes National Park, reminding visitors and scientists alike of the dynamic and ever‑changing nature of Hawaiʻi’s volcanic environment.
<small>Source: BBC Science — read the original story there.</small>
