State sheriff's deputies yesterday discovered the decomposed body of a man during the state's cleanup under the H-1 Freeway's Ke'ehi Interchange, which has been described by police as a "hidden city" of homeless people.

The body was found near a fence line near the Disabled American Veterans Hawai'i property on North Nimitz Highway about 8:15 a.m. A police spokeswoman said the man, who is believed to have been homeless, may have died last week. There was no evidence of foul play, police said.

An autopsy will be conducted.

The state Department of Transportation began a cleanup effort Tuesday under the 12 overpasses that make up the Ke'ehi Interchange. DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa yesterday said the cleanup will continue into next week. A private contractor has to be hired to remove hazardous waste, at a cost of about $15,000.

Police began notifying dozens of homeless people verbally in early March that they would have to move because of the cleanup. That was followed by written notices two weeks ago. The cleanup effort is concentrated between North Nimitz and Kamehameha highways near the lower end of the Dillingham Boulevard off-ramp from the H-1 Freeway.