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Maui Fire assists hikers stranded by flash flooding

With a bystander's help, Maui Fire rescuers rig a rope system to help a child cross a flooded stream. The Maui Fire Department is asking the public to be cautious about hiking in areas with streams after two separate rescues occurred at Iao Stream on Sunday. Courtesy photo

On Monday, Maui County Fire spokesman Chris Stankis advised the public to check weather forecasts before hiking near streams.

A sudden flash flood on Maui swept one hiker downstream and isolated another in two separate incidents in the Iao Valley in Wailuku on Sunday afternoon.

“The water level and speed rose rapidly,” Stankis said. “It could have been very tragic.”

Fire rescuers airlifted the man who was swept downstream and across the river.

The man was about 45 minutes into his hike mauka of the Iao parking lot when the flash flood occurred.

In a separate incident involving a different group of hikers, a child became isolated on the other side of Iao Stream.

With the assistance of a bystander, fire rescuers helped the girl cross the stream using a rope system.

The fire department noted a flash flood watch had been issued for Maui since Saturday.

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