Continuing landslides lead to closures at Kealakekua Bay

As a precautionary measure, the Department of Land and Natural Resources issued an order yesterday that closes portions of Kealakekua Bay and Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park on the Big Island.

"The earthquake(s) on October 15, 2006, resulted in a significant landslide at Kealakekua Bay from the pali (cliffs) at the Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park," DLNR Director Peter Young said in a news release. "The pali remains unstable -- rocks are continuing to fall."

The DLNR order closes public access to the pali and Kaawaloa flatland sections within the park until the department decides that the closed ocean waters and land can safely be reopened.

The DLNR's closure order is in cooperation with the Coast Guard, which closed portions of the bay on Oct. 17. Yesterday, the Coast Guard extended its closure area to match the state closure.

Any public use, including but not limited to all vessels, hikers and forms of ocean recreation, are prohibited until further notice, the DLNR release said. The ocean safety zone boundary is between the Captain Cook Monument and the Hikiau Heiau.

The closed land area at Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park will be all of Pali o Manuahi above Hikiau and Pali Kapu o Keoua (to the ocean) above the bay to the north and over Kaawaloa, including the face of the cliffs and up to 300 feet inland from the edge of the cliffs, and Kaawaloa Flat.