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550-Year-Old Holei Sea Arch Swept Away by Cyclone Nolo in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
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News18•03-10-2026, 19:44
550-Year-Old Holei Sea Arch Swept Away by Cyclone Nolo in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
- •Hawaii's historic 550-year-old 'Holei Sea Arch' was swept away by Tropical Storm 'Nolo' into the Pacific Ocean.
- •The approximately 90-foot-high natural arch, formed from volcanic lava, was a major attraction at 'Hawaii Volcanoes National Park'.
- •The National Park Service (NPS) confirmed the arch was present on September 23 but had vanished by September 27 during an inspection.
- •Fortunately, no one was present as the park was closed due to the storm, but a priceless natural wonder was lost forever.
- •Factors contributing to its collapse included seismic activity from the 2018 Kilauea volcano eruption, cracks observed in 2020, and continuous erosion by sea waves.
Key Questions Answered
The 550-year-old Holei Sea Arch was destroyed by intense waves and fierce winds from Tropical Storm Nolo, which delivered the final blow to an already hollowed-out and cracked rock structure.
The American National Park Service confirmed the demise of the natural arch on September 27, 2026, when park employees arrived for an inspection and found that the massive rock structure had vanished.
The arch was formed approximately 550 years ago when hot flowing lava from the Kilauea volcano met the cold ocean water, creating a rocky slope that was subsequently carved into an arch by crashing waves.
