13 Rescued After Flash Flood at Anna’s Ranch

The Hawai‘i County Fire Department responded to a Flash Flood Search and Rescue at Anna’s Ranch in Waimea on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at 4:21 p.m. 13 individual were found, seven of the individuals were trapped and two of the individuals were injured.

Upon arrival, responders found three of the party on the west side of the stream. They reported there were a total of 13 in the party that were swimming in the mountain stream when a Flash Flood came through without warning. The search immediately began along the stream for the missing.

Upon arrival of Chopper 1, three other were located walking thru the north side pasture. A short time later, four others were located in different areas stranded on the rocks along the stream. They were rescued and then air lifted to the staging area to be treated by waiting medic units. A while later, the final three hikers were located on the rocks behind a large waterfall. Extrication involved technical rope rescue and repelling/ascending a 150–250 foot cliffs in dark, wind and rainy conditions over a five hour period of time.

24 fire fighters were involved in the Search and Rescue which ended on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 12:33 a.m.