Grand Canyon Flash Floods Kill Two, Leave Fifteen Missing, Damage Infrastructure

The Story

Flash floods in Grand Canyon National Park have resulted in two confirmed deaths and approximately 15 people missing as of Monday morning. The National Park Service (NPS) reported the recovery of a 46-year-old man's body Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. A second body was recovered Monday. The NPS and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are continuing evacuation and response efforts, searching for individuals who may have been in Bright Angel Canyon, the Phantom Ranch area, the North Kaibab Trail, Bright Angel Campground, or the Box north of Phantom Ranch. The floods, which struck Saturday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., were caused by a storm that dropped between half an inch and an inch of rain within 30 minutes. This precipitation swept boulders, infrastructure, and other debris into the Colorado River. At least 62 people have been evacuated from the affected areas. The flooding caused extensive damage to park infrastructure, including the destruction of nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek, which eliminated pedestrian access. The canyon's sole water pipeline, the Transcanyon Waterline, was damaged or destroyed, leading to emergency water restrictions for year-round residents and visitors. As a result, Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen, and a large section of the North Kaibab Trail are closed until further notice. Overnight accommodations at lodges and hotels inside the park have been suspended, and fires are prohibited. The NPS has asked the public to provide information on any hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29. Weather forecasters warn that rain and thunderstorms could bring more flooding to the region.

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