Posted on: Thursday, May 20, 2004

Nanakuli boulder removal continues

Advertiser Staff

Now that state contractors have split apart the 10-ton boulder that fell against the back of a home on Akowai Road in Nanakuli last week, residents Juan and Donna Navarro are free to return home, at least during non-work hours.

The boulder was split into large pieces on the ground but those pieces still need to be broken up into more manageable sizes, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The smaller pieces will either be hauled off-site or stockpiled at a location provided by the property owner.

The rock was broken up by drilling holes into it and filling them with slow-acting chemical expanders.

The boulder measured about 5 feet by 6 feet by 8 feet. It slid about 36 feet down a 30-degree slope Thursday and came to rest against the back of the Navarro home. The couple had been advised to stay away since.

Royal Contracting Co. is now drilling holes into several large rocks upslope to break them into smaller chunks to prevent them from falling down the hill. The rock-breaking and removal work on the hillside will take about a week, the DLNR said.