Rocks removed from Nanakuli hillside
About 30 rocks were removed from the Nanakuli Homestead hillside behind Mokiawe Street Friday morning after the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands found them to be a threat to about 20 homes below.
About seven of the rocks were so big that a larger helicopter had to be called in after a smaller one struggled to lift them, said Charles Kaaukai, the Mokiawe Street resident who told DHHL officials about the problem at the end of April.
The Hawaii Division of Janod, a rock stabilization and remediation company that won a $65,000 emergency procurement bid to clear the rocks, finished the work by 11:30 a.m. Janod employees had spent all of the previous day prepping for the removals. The rocks were airlifted to a nearby property where they are not a danger to the community, said Pierre Rousseau, Janod Hawaii operations manager.
Kaaukai said he decided to renew his call to get the rocks removed after reading in the Star-Advertiser about rock-slide problems in Kalihi and Niu Valley.
DLNR cites hiker for trespassing
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources cited an 18-year-old visitor Thursday for hiking into Sacred Falls State Park, which is closed to the public, and issued warnings to two teenage boys hiking with her.
The citation for unauthorized entry is a petty misdemeanor, subject to a minimum penalty of $100.
DLNR officers also issued written warnings to the two boys, both 17, saying they would be cited if they return. One boy is a Hawaii resident and the other a visitor. The resident teen’s father was also advised of the warning. DLNR said the warnings were issued because the boys are minors.
Firefighters helped the three out of the valley after the 17-year-old visitor was injured when she fell about 20 feet off the steep trail.
Sacred Falls State Park has been closed to the public since Mother’s Day 1999 when eight people were killed during a rockfall.
3.7 quake gives Hawaii island slight shake
WAIKOLOA, Hawaii » The U.S. Geological Survey says a small earthquake struck off the west coast of Hawaii island.
Friday afternoon’s magnitude-3.7 earthquake was centered about 14 miles southwest of Waikoloa. Its depth was 9.9 miles.
The USGS website reports people on the west side of the island felt weak-to-light shaking. There were no immediate reports of damage.
