Flash flood rips through Grand Canyon, 20 hikers missing, dozens airlifted

A wall of muddy floodwater ripped through the Grand Canyon after torrential rain sent a powerful surge down Bright Angel Creek. The sudden deluge swept away footbridges, boulders and debris. The Park Service (NPS) said it was seeking information about at least 15 people who may be unaccounted for, while the New York Post reported that the number could be as high as 20. More than 60 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning.

Further evacuations from Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood Campground were expected as crews continued assessing the affected areas. Phantom Ranch, a popular stop for hikers and Colorado River rafters, was among the locations hit by the flood. Bright Angel Campground and sections of the North Kaibab Trail remained closed while officials surveyed the damage.

Footage showed chocolate-brown water surging through the canyon, carrying logs, vegetation and other debris downstream.

HEAVY RAIN TRIGGERS FLASH FLOOD

The flooding began at about 2:30 pm Saturday (local time) after intense rainfall caused water levels in Bright Angel Creek to rise rapidly. Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow said between half an inch and 1 inch of rain fell in roughly 30 minutes across the rocky terrain.

"Most of it ran off instantly," Johndrow told the Associated Press.

Bright Angel Creek descends from the North Rim towards the Colorado River, dropping about 6,000 feet along the route. The steep landscape can cause rainwater to gather speed rapidly, turning intense but brief rainfall into a dangerous torrent.

Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, said the incident underscored how quickly conditions can change in the canyon.

"This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is," Schmidt said.

More thunderstorms and rain were possible in the region through Monday, potentially complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

PARK AREAS REMAIN CLOSED

Authorities closed Phantom Ranch and the entire North Kaibab Trail until further notice while crews examined the damage. Rafting trips on the Colorado River were also temporarily suspended. Erica Viola, who was at Bright Angel Campground when the rain began, told the news agency that she and about 50 other hikers watched the creek rise before debris began rushing past them. Among the debris was what appeared to be part of a bunkhouse.

The group was later evacuated by helicopter, bringing Viola's trip to an unexpected end two days early. The NPS said the flooding had caused "significant impacts to infrastructure throughout Bright Angel Canyon".

"Grand Canyon Park staff are continuing to assess damage to trails, bridges, utilities, facilities and other infrastructure," the agency said.

The park service urged visitors not to enter the closed areas and asked anyone with information about hikers or campers in the affected locations to contact authorities.

The NPS, working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, continued evacuation operations while trying to determine how many people were in the affected areas when the flood struck.

- Ends

With inputs from agencies