GOING, GOING... GONE

Iconic Hawaii Landmark Collapses After 500 Years

The structure first formed as waves carved through ancient lava flows.

The iconic Hōlei Sea Arch in Hawaii has collapsed into the ocean after more than half a millennium. Tourists were still taking photos of the landmark in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park last Wednesday, but park authorities said it had disappeared by Sunday night. Pinpointing the exact moment of its collapse is difficult because the area had been closed for three days while Tropical Storm Nolo battered the island state. The structure first formed roughly 550 years ago as waves carved through an ancient flow of lava. Centuries of erosion, worsened by earthquakes, caused its collapse. “Very sad to hear of the loss of the arch,” one person wrote on social media. “It figured in many of our vacation photographs throughout the 1990s. But the natural world is indeed constantly changing.” Another person said: “What a beautiful and special place. We are so sad that it is gone.”