The Earth constantly changes. Some natural wonders and historic sites have vanished due to natural forces and human actions. Here are some of the most remarkable places (Vanished Wonders) that no longer exist.
EAST ISLAND – SWALLOWED BY THE OCEAN
East Island, part of Hawaii’s French Frigate Shoals, served as a habitat for endangered species. In 2018, a storm surge from Hurricane Walaka fully submerged the island. This vanished wonder event highlights the vulnerability of low-lying islands to extreme weather and rising sea levels.
THE PINK AND WHITE TERRACES – NEW ZEALAND’S LOST WONDER
Once called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” these terraces formed from geothermal activity. They featured cascading mineral-rich waters in striking pink and white hues. In 1886, the Mount Tarawera eruption buried them under volcanic ash. Despite searches, they remain lost, adding to the list of also vanished wonders.
GUAÍRA FALLS – A NATURAL POWERHOUSE ERASED
Located between Brazil and Paraguay, Guaíra Falls had twice the water flow of Niagara Falls. In 1982, the Itaipu Dam’s construction flooded the falls, submerging them permanently. This loss serves as a reminder of how human engineering can alter landscapes forever and create vanished wonders.
BERING LAND BRIDGE – A GATEWAY TO THE AMERICAS
Beringia connected Asia and North America during the last Ice Age, allowing human and animal migrations. As glaciers melted and sea levels rose, the land bridge disappeared. The Bering Land Bridge is one of the significant vanished wonders of history.
IRHARHAR RIVER – SAHARA’S VANISHED LIFELINE
Once flowing through the Sahara Desert, the Irharhar River supported ancient civilizations. Over thousands of years, climate shifts dried it up, transforming the region into an arid desert. Fossilized riverbeds remain as evidence of its lost waters, known as another vanished wonder.
ARAL SEA – A MAN-MADE ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE
The Aral Sea, once a massive lake between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has nearly vanished due to river diversions for irrigation. What remains are small disconnected lakes and a barren desert. This environmental catastrophe resulted in the Aral Sea joining the list of vanished wonders.
RAPA NUI’S FORESTS – A LOST ECOSYSTEM
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, once had lush palm forests. Centuries of deforestation for resources led to severe soil erosion, leaving the island mostly barren. The famous moai statues stand as reminders of a vanished wonder ecosystem and unsustainable human practices.