One dead and 15 missing after Grand Canyon flash flood
A flash flood in the Grand Canyon has left one person dead and around 15 people missing or unaccounted for, forcing evacuations and closing popular areas of the park, according to the National Park Service and reporting from Euronews.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered late Sunday near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. Park officials said coroner’s staff were at the scene, but they did not release further details about the man’s identity or how he died. The flood hit Bright Angel Creek on Saturday afternoon, when intense rainfall swept through the area on the canyon’s north side.
More than 60 people were evacuated from the depths of the canyon after the water rushed through the terrain. The park service said it had not accounted for 15 people and asked anyone with information about hikers or campers in the area to contact officials. Arizona Department of Public Safety personnel joined the evacuation effort on Sunday.
The flooding also created immediate operational problems for one of the United States’ most visited national parks. Because the main water line serving the area was knocked out, overnight stays at lodges and hotels inside Grand Canyon National Park were due to stop starting Monday. Year-round residents were told to conserve water. The park service described the measures as necessary to protect safety and water resources while the system remains out of service.
Damage from the flood extended beyond the search for missing people. Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over the creek, shifted the landscape and widened the creek bed. The event also damaged a pipeline that has been the subject of a long-running modernization effort. The system serves around 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village, and a $208 million rehabilitation project began in 2023 with completion expected next year.
Weather played a central role. National Weather Service meteorologist Darren McCollum said between 1 and 2.5 centimeters of rain fell in about 20 minutes on a steep, rocky slope that had already been soaked by earlier systems. When the main storm hit, torrential rain fell on saturated ground and triggered the flooding.
Popular destinations including Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch remained closed on Sunday. With more rain and thunderstorms possible into Monday, the park faced a difficult combination of rescue, recovery and infrastructure strain.
