REYNOLDS COUNTY— A group of six hikers touring Johnson’s Shut-ins in Reynolds County became stranded Tuesday when the water level rose several feet in under 40 seconds, according to Reynolds County Patrol Sergeant Johnathan Loyd.
Loyd stated he first received the call from park rangers. He and two rangers were the first to assist on scene.
The group managed to rescue the only juvenile in the group along with her mother.
“By the time we got them out of the water, the level was still rising,” Loyd recalled.
A mosaic of police and fire departments later responded to the trapped individuals. North Reynolds, Ellington, Ironton and Farmington fire departments arrived on scene, along with personnel from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Loyd noted the fire departments brought wading equipment to better assist with the rescue.
“We all worked as a team,” he stated.
The various agencies formed a line through the water to bring the hikers out, as the difficult terrain and lack of navigable waterways prevented using boats.
According to Loyd, the rescued hikers suffered no injuries.
While Reynolds County received little rain, the flooding resulted from heavy downpours to the north near Ironton.
“It came down pretty hard and pretty fast,” Loyd said.
He cautioned future visitors to maintain awareness of river conditions.
“Check the weather, even upriver,” he advised.