By Tim Binnall
In a jaw-dropping testament to the transformative power of Mother Nature, a small island in Hawaii was literally erased when a hurricane passed over the area earlier this month. Measuring a mere eleven acres, East Island was already considered somewhat endangered by scientists before the storm, but even they were surprised when a drone flight following Hurricane Walaka revealed that the site is now gone.
"I had a 'holy cow!' moment, somewhat in disbelief that it had disappeared," marveled researcher Chip Fletcher to the British newspaper The Guardian. According to him, the island had been the subject of a study aimed at determining how imperiled such pieces of land may be due to climate change. Before the hurricane arrived, it was believed that East Island could probably survive another 20 years before being swallowed by the ocean. However the force of the storm obliterated both that estimate as well as the island itself.
Although the island was only a half mile long and 400 feet wide, scientists say that it's loss will likely be a huge blow to wildlife in the area. Specifically, Hawaiian monk seals may be the most impacted by East Island vanishing as the endangered creatures had been known to use the land as a place to raise their young. Similarly threatened species, like turtles and albatrosses, also relied on the island as a safe haven to escape predators.