Fire department rescue personnel have said that torrential rains caused a flash flood in an Arizona canyon that injured five Swiss tourists.

The (Flagstaff) Arizona Daily Sun reported on Sunday that the tourists were part of a 12-person group exploring the same area of Antelope Canyon where 10 people had drowned in a 1997 flash flood.

The group was at the mouth of Antelope Canyon about 1:20 p. m. when water flooded in east of Page, washing a woman and her 9-year-old son downstream over slick rock, said Page Fire Department Chief Larry Clark.

The Sun further reported that they were separated from each other but reunited in a parking lot where they were met by a medical team who treated their injuries and the injuries of three others in their group who'd been rescued from a cliff side.

The others had gotten off safely.

It has also been reported that a helicopter service and several agencies participated in the rescue operation. (With Inputs from Agencies)