Hawaii’s iconic sea arch collapses after string of tropical storms
Hōlei Sea Arch was carved into an ancient lava flow dating back about 550 years.
The Hōlei Sea Arch stood 90 feet tall and was located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Hawaii’s iconic Hōlei Sea Arch has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, disappearing from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s rugged coastline during a stretch of repeated tropical storms and hurricanes.
The 90-foot landmark was still standing on Sept. 23 but was gone by Sunday night, Sept. 27, according to the National Park Service. The exact timing remains unknown, and officials said it could have fallen while the park was temporarily closed during Tropical Storm Nolo.
Before-and-after photos of the Hōlei Sea Arch at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park from July 2022 and Sept. 30, 2026. (Image credit: NPS Photo/J.Wei)
“Yes, it’s true. RIP Hōlei Sea Arch,” the park wrote on social media, sharing photographs showing the formation in 2022 and the coastline after its collapse.
Officials have not confirmed that Nolo caused the collapse. The surrounding cliffs had shown instability for years, including damage from earthquakes during Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption and summit collapse. New cracks prompted the closure of the original viewing area in January 2020.
A photo taken on Sept. 20, 2026 of where the Hōlei Sea Arch once stood at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. (Image credit: NPS Photo/J.Wei)
Nolo brought another round of heavy rain, strong winds and large surf to Hawaii as its center passed south and southwest of the main islands. The storm strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane offshore on Sept. 27. High winds forced the closure of Kohala Mountain Road, while waves crashed along the Big Island’s southern coast.
Rainfall reached 21.99 inches in Laupahoehoe, with many Big Island locations receiving more than a foot.
The storm marked Hawaii’s fourth tropical threat in about six weeks, following Hurricane Lala, Tropical Storm Moke and Hurricane Lowell. Lala brought destructive flooding to the Big Island in August, while Lowell caused widespread power outages on Kauai in early September. Communities were still rebuilding when Nolo approached.
People walk through a field of debris after Hurricane Lala in Naalehu, Hawaii, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. The Category 1 hurricane brought heavy rain and strong winds to the island of Hawaii before moving away without making landfall, causing extensive damage to towns along the island's southern end. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Hōlei Sea Arch was carved into an ancient lava flow dating back about 550 years. Waves gradually eroded the rock, shaping the opening that became a familiar coastal landmark. Those same erosive forces continue to reshape the shoreline.
A photo taken in July 2022 of the Hōlei Sea Arch once stood at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. (Image credit: NPS Photo/J.Wei)
Park officials are urging visitors to stay away from unstable cliff edges, which drop vertically into the ocean. Social media photos have shown people entering the closed area near the former arch, putting themselves and potential rescuers at risk.
The park invited visitors to share favorite photographs and memories of the landmark.
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