One person has died and roughly 15 others remain missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood tore through part of the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service (NPS) has confirmed. The flood struck the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area at around 2:30pm local time on Saturday.
The body of a 46 year old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. Sixty two people have been airlifted out of the area so far, and rangers continue working to account for hikers, backpackers, and campers who may have been in the affected zone when the water rose.
The NPS initially said it was seeking information on more than 20 people believed to be missing, before revising that figure down to approximately 15 as more evacuees were accounted for.
One woman who was airlifted to safety, 41 year old Nikki Baggs, described the scene as terrifying. She had just dropped her belongings at a cabin in Phantom Ranch with two friends and stepped out to enjoy the weather when the floodwaters swept in. The group scrambled to higher ground, sheltering at a picnic table before rangers told them to move again to a safer ledge, where they waited for hours until being evacuated that evening. Baggs credited the park rangers’ coordinated response for getting everyone out safely.
The flooding severely damaged the park’s infrastructure, destroying nearly all footbridges in the area and knocking out the Transcanyon Waterline, the park’s sole source of drinking and firefighting water. Because of the damage, overnight lodging on the South Rim will be suspended starting Monday until further notice.
Forecasters are warning that more thunderstorms and heavy rain expected through Monday could trigger additional flash floods, debris flows, and rockfalls, along with further changes to trail and river conditions. Flash flooding is a recurring hazard in this part of Arizona, where dry, hard-packed soil doesn’t absorb rainfall easily. Park visitors are being urged to stay alert through mid September.
The Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, is among the most visited national parks in the country, drawing several million tourists annually.
