The ||Kharas Region Police have managed to successfully evacuate ninety-six hikers from the Fish River Canyon.

The hikers, most of them South African citizens, were trapped by rising water levels in the canyon due to heavy downpours in the area.

The opening of sluice gates of the upstream Naute Dam after its reservoir surpassed its capacity of 100 percent also added to their ordeal.

The Neckartal Dam also spilled over about 870 cubic meters per second, contributing to the river water levels.

Relieved rescued hikers shared their experiences with the NBC News team.

“I think we walked through; it was still knee-high. And while we were in the middle of the river, that's when the whole flood came in the river. It swept us away, probably two to three hundred meters with our bags and everything. I think somewhere inside where water was covering, I had to unclip and so force it. But we are grateful to God to have survived,” said Mino Neels.

“I think we walked through it when the water was still only knee-high. While we were in the middle of the river, the flood suddenly came rushing in. It swept us away for about 200 to 300 meters, along with our bags and everything else. At some point, when I was submerged under the water, I had to unclip myself and force my way free. We are grateful to God that we survived,” said Mino Neels.

“We were just so relieved to hear the helicopter was coming. The kids were quite apt to be on a helicopter. We were sad. We were also sad because we wanted to complete the trip,” highlighted an emotional Orein Buze.

“We put our bags together, and we kind of rafted over the river and we swam through. We couldn't touch the ground; it was that deep. And after that we hiked out and went to Oink Palace. Some of us actually carried on going and finished the hike. And the rest of us cut it short and got rescued,” added Aimee Lingque.

Among the hikers were also children who went on the hiking trail excursion with their parents.

None of the hikers sustained injuries.