Firefighters in Taiwan's Hualien County pulled two stranded hikers to safety after heavy rain turned a mountain river into a torrent — a dangerous rescue that ended well.

• A man and a woman in their 50s from Taipei were trapped in a riverside cave for two days after floodwaters cut them off.
• Rescuers failed twice before succeeding on the third attempt, when the water finally calmed.
• One rescuer was nearly swept away crossing the river and had to grab a rope to stay put.
• Helicopters were ruled out because the steep gorge made flying too risky.
• The pair were pulled across on ropes, then climbed 100 meters up to the road, and were taken to a police station and warned about the risks.

Outlook: Taiwan's summer rains keep mountain rivers dangerous, so more warnings and restrictions on river-tracing trips are likely.