Settled
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s Hōlei Sea Arch collapses into the Pacific
In short
The Hōlei Sea Arch at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has collapsed into the Pacific, the US National Park Service said. The arch was still standing on 23 September but was found collapsed on the evening of 27 September; the exact time is unknown and it may have fallen during a tropical storm while the park was temporarily closed. The park service warned visitors to stay out of closed areas and away from cliff edges.
Why it matters
The arch was a well-known photo spot in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and its loss removes a landmark that drew visitors to a remote stretch of coastline. The park service’s warning points to continuing cliff instability in the area, which affects how the park manages access. The event is a natural erosion process at a US site, with no reported injuries or wider disruption.
Key facts
- The Hōlei Sea Arch in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park collapsed and fell into the Pacific Ocean, according to the US National Park Service. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The park service said the arch was still standing on 23 September and was found collapsed on the evening of 27 September. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The park service said the exact time of the collapse is unclear and that it may have happened during a tropical storm when the park was temporarily closed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The park service said the coastline near the arch had shown signs of instability for years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The park service’s latest statement told visitors not to enter closed areas and to keep away from cliff edges. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The arch was about 27 metres tall and formed roughly 550 years ago by wave erosion of ancient lava-flow cliffs, and it drew many visitors each year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The US Department of the Interior posted photographs and text on X on 2 October saying the arch had collapsed into the Pacific, calling it another natural evolution of the park’s remote, rugged coastline. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Hōlei Sea Arch at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park collapsed into the Pacific. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The arch stood on 23 September and was found collapsed on the evening of 27 September. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The National Park Service said the exact time of the collapse is unknown and that it may have occurred during a tropical storm while the park was temporarily closed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The National Park Service said the coastline near the arch had shown instability for years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The park service warned visitors not to enter closed areas and to stay away from cliff edges. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The arch was about 27 metres tall and formed about 550 years ago, and it was a popular spot for visitors to photograph. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The exact time the arch collapsed. All three documents say the precise time is not known; the park service only reports that it was found collapsed on the evening of 27 September.
- Whether a tropical storm caused the collapse. The documents say the collapse may have happened during a tropical storm that temporarily closed the park, but they do not state this as confirmed; no storm is named.
- Whether the long-term instability of the coastline is directly linked to the collapse. The park service says the coastline had shown signs of instability for years, but the documents do not say this caused the collapse.
What local media are saying
Business mediaThe two business outlets carried the same short wire text, sourced to CCTV News, reporting the collapse, the park service’s notice, the 27-metre height and 550-year age, and the warning to visitors; both kept to the landform’s loss and the tourism angle.
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Official sourcesThe official outlet added that the US Department of the Interior announced the collapse with photographs on X on 2 October, describing it as another natural evolution of the park’s remote, rugged coastline, and explained that the arch was formed by differential wave erosion of lava-flow cliffs about 550 years old.
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Timeline, local time
- The Hōlei Sea Arch is still standing, according to the National Park Service. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The arch is found to have collapsed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The US Department of the Interior posts photographs and text on X announcing the collapse. [ 3 ]
- Jiemian publishes its report. [ 1 ]
- CLS publishes its report. [ 2 ]
- China News Service publishes its report. [ 3 ]