The iconic sandstone "Double Arch" rock formation above Lake Powell in southern Utah collapsed Thursday, according to the National Park Service. Also known as "Hole in the Roof" and "Toilet Bowl," the site is distinct from the similarly named Double Arch in Arches National Park farther north. No injuries were reported.
Consisting of 190-million-year-old light-colored rock from the Navajo sandstone formation, the dramatic bowl-shaped arch with a circular opening (see image) was a popular tourist spot for boaters exploring the flooded Glen Canyon portion of Lake Powell along the Colorado River. Officials claimed the structure likely fell due to regular, rapid changes in water levels since the canyon was first flooded in the 1960s as part of the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam.
Smaller portions of the rock reportedly began falling into the water earlier in the day as swimmers and climbers enjoyed the formation (see video) before departing ahead of a storm. Boaters returning hours later saw the entire arch had collapsed.
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