Kauai trail reopened after flood that left 121 hikers stranded
Crews rescued 98 hikers from a Na Pali trail Monday on Kauai, after 23 hikers were brought to safety Sunday.
The state reopened Kalalau Trail at the Kee Beach trail head Tuesday after rising stream waters that trapped more than 100 hikers on Sunday receded.
"The stream level had gone back down to normal," said spokeswoman Deborah Ward of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The popular trail reopened sometime before 8 a.m. The state closed it Monday due to dangerous stream water conditions.
Crews of the Kauai Fire Department rescued 121 stranded hikers at Hanakapiai Sunday and Monday after rapidly rising stream waters prevented them to cross.
Twenty-three hikers were flown to safety Sunday. Two rescue specialists stayed overnight with the remaining 98 hikers because stream waters were too high and dangerous to cross. At dawn Monday, Air 1 flew the remaining hikers, in groups of three to four, to safety.
