Hawaii Island 2005 Coastline Collapse

In November of 2005 a huge section of the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii collapsed into the sea causing a large gush of lava into the ocean. See also Big Island Travel Guide and our guides Other Hawaiian Islands.

On November 29, 2005, 40 acres of coastline collapsed into the sea, resulting in a six foot thick flow of lava pouring into the sea. The collapse left a 60 foot cliff in place of the coastline and it ripped open a lava tube.

The lava flowed out of the tube at a arate of about 4 truckloads of lava per second, but the flow disappeared soon after the collapse when the molten lava hardened and began forming new land.

This collapse was the largest since the Kilauea Valcano started errupting in 983. The collapse began about 12 noon on Tuesday, Novermber 29 and it continued for several hours, accompanied by explosions, sprays of molten rock, and boulders being thrown in the air.

Officials at the Hawaiid Volcanos National Park had been keeping visitors away from the area since June of 2005, when it became clear that a collapse was imminent.

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