Dozens of hikers trapped by high water from heavy rains in an Arizona canyon were rescued Saturday, authorities said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said that about 50 adults and children who were stranded in a canyon in Catalina Mountains in Tucson-area, as the water gushing down the mountains cut down the trails to get back down hills.

The hikers were rescued in teams and the first team was out of the Bear Canyon in the Catalina Mountains just after 5 p.m. local time, while the last group left three hours later, the Associated Press reported.

The rescuers used floatation devices and ropes to rescue the hikers and half a dozen hikers were flown out by helicopter, local media has reported. The search started at 2.p.m. ended by 8 p.m. local time.

"Rescue team member was behind us with a hand on that flotation device," Michael Rolland, a one of the stranded hikers said, "and they strung a rope across, and so we had to grab the rope and sidestep across the river," he added.

Deputies said the hikers could not judge the raising water levels. The rains were not heavy in the lower terrains but water came down the mountains flooding the canyon.

"People simply do not take the weather conditions and the quickly changing weather conditions into account," Deputy Tom Peine said. "We're ready to deal with it and bring these people to safety."

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