Grand Canyon Flash Flood Leaves One Dead, About 15 Missing; Dozens Evacuated

FLAGSTAFF — One person has died and approximately 15 others remain missing or unaccounted for after a major flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon on Saturday, forcing the evacuation of more than 60 people and knocking out the national park’s sole water pipeline that serves tourists and residents, the National Park Service said Sunday.

The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. Officials from an Arizona coroner’s office were on scene. Authorities have not released further details about the victim.

The flooding struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area around 2:30 p.m. Saturday following storms over the Kaibab Plateau. Torrents of water in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River, destroyed nearly all footbridges, widened the creek bed, swept large boulders and debris into the river, and created what appeared to be a new rapid.

At least 62 people were evacuated, many by helicopter, from the inner canyon, including areas around Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground and Cottonwood Campground. The Arizona Department of Public Safety assisted with additional evacuations on Sunday. Evacuees were transported to facilities on the South Rim, where the American Red Cross provided support.

The National Park Service is asking the public for information about hikers or backpackers who may have been in the Bright Angel Creek corridor, along the North Kaibab Trail, or staying at campgrounds in the affected area on Aug. 29. An earlier estimate had placed the number of unaccounted-for individuals as high as 20.

The damaged pipeline has severely limited the park’s potable water supply. As a result, overnight stays at lodges and hotels within Grand Canyon National Park will not be available starting Monday. Year-round residents have been asked to conserve water. Rafting trips on the Colorado River have also been halted.

Popular trails and sites including Phantom Ranch and sections of the North Kaibab Trail remain closed as search and recovery efforts continue and officials assess infrastructure damage. Additional thunderstorms and the potential for further flash flooding were possible through Monday.