The men, 45-year-old Blane Baker and 24-year-old Mark Garcia, said they had gone under the bridge to go to sleep and escape the heavy rains around midnight.

The National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning until 2:45 a.m. after more than 2 inches per hour was recorded in Olomana and up to 5 inches per hour in the Ko'olau Mountain range.

The men were rescued after an area resident had stopped on the bridge to watch the rapids and heard them yelling from below. The bridge is next to the Chevron station near Pauoa Road.

"He was the only one that heard us," Baker said. "I thought we were done. We were on the ledge and the water was whipping by, right below us. We were screaming for help."

Stanford Kaeo, who lives in the area, said he always visits the stream during flash flood warnings so he can watch the rapids.

"It filled up quick this time," Kaeo said. "I thought I was hearing things at first. They were lucky to have a little island down there to stand on, because that water could have easily swept them away. I knew I couldn't do anything for them so I called 911."

Firefighters said when they arrived at the scene, the ledge the men were standing on — about 2 feet wide — was under water except for a few feet where the men were standing.

"They were lucky the contour of the bridge created a little safe area where they could stand," said HFD Battallion Chief James Perkins. "The water subsided a bit, but when we first got here they barely had any room to stand."

HFD received the first call at about 1:50 a.m. and used a rope system to harness the men before bringing them to safety before 4 a.m.

Neither man required medical services.