Grand Canyon Flash Flood Claims One Life, Dozens Missing
Severe weather devastates Bright Angel Creek, destroying infrastructure and prompting emergency water restrictions across the park.
Carla Rooney
A severe flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Creek, leaving one person dead and approximately 15 others missing.
Torrential downpours lasted for three hours Saturday afternoon, washing out hiking trails and flooding Phantom Ranch Lodge cabins.
The National Weather Service maintains a flood watch through Monday evening for northern and central Arizona, citing "deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations."
These floods caused significant damage, collapsing footbridges, dislodging boulders, and sweeping structures into the Colorado River.
The only water pipeline serving tourists and residents was destroyed, leading to immediate emergency water restrictions.
These measures, implemented Monday, prevent overnight stays at lodges and hotels within the park; year-round residents have been asked to conserve water.
These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources.
A $208 million rehabilitation project for the water pipeline and upgrades to the delivery system, initiated in 2023, was expected to conclude next year.
Roughly 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline was damaged or destroyed; the pipeline, finished in the 1970s, has reportedly broken more than 85 times since 2010.
About half an inch to an inch of rain reportedly fell within half an hour in the affected area; Justin Johndrow noted, "Most of it ran off instantly."
Despite the devastation, Grand Canyon National Park remains open for daytime visitors.
However, the Bright Angel Canyon area remains closed due to ongoing risks; Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch are closed until further notice.
The Colorado River is also closed to river traffic until further notice.
Over 60 visitors were evacuated by helicopter; no injuries have been reported as of Sunday.
Authorities are seeking public assistance to identify individuals who were traveling near the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon.
The National Park Service has asked anyone with information about unaccounted individuals to come forward, specifically requesting details about hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday, or anyone with a campground reservation in the affected corridor.