Grand Canyon Flash Flood Kills One, 15 Missing As More Than 60 Are Airlifted

A flash flood in Arizona’s Grand Canyon killed one person and left about 15 people missing or unaccounted for after intense rainfall sent water and debris through Bright Angel Creek, forcing mass evacuations, damaging the landscape and knocking out the sole water pipeline serving tourists and residents in Grand Canyon Village.

The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered on Sunday near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, the National Park Service said. More than 60 people were airlifted from the depths of the canyon following Saturday’s flooding, while the Arizona Department of Public Safety helped with additional evacuations on Sunday. The park service has asked anyone with information about hikers or campers who remain unaccounted for to get in touch.

According to Associated Press, the flooding pushed large boulders into the Colorado River, wiped out footbridges over Bright Angel Creek and changed the terrain around the creek. The damaged pipeline has limited the park’s potable water supply, meaning tourists will not be able to stay overnight at lodges and hotels within the park from Monday. Year-round residents have been asked to conserve water.

“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the park said in a statement.

Officials from an Arizona coroner’s office were at the scene where the man’s body was recovered. Popular areas including Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch remained closed on Sunday. Phantom Ranch is home to a historic canteen and dormitories, while lodging remains available outside the park at Tusayan, near the South Rim entrance station.

The Grand Canyon faces a particular risk of flash flooding during the summer monsoon, or rainy season. Clear conditions can quickly give way to thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with fellow physicians and a park ranger when heavy rain began falling on Saturday.

“We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he said.

As the group later made its way towards Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted “Up, Up, Up, Up!” after a four-foot (1-metre) debris wall moved towards them, Desai said. They ran into a patch of cacti and were rescued by helicopter late Saturday after reaching the Phantom Ranch area, he said.

Erica Viola said she and about 50 other hikers at the Bright Angel Campground watched the creek rise as debris began flowing past them, including what appeared to be a bunkhouse. She was evacuated by helicopter, cutting her trip short by two days.

Associated Press reported that the flooding widened the creek bed and either extended an existing rapid in the Colorado River or created a new one.

National Weather Service meteorologist Darren McCollum in Flagstaff said about half an inch to 1 inch (1 to 2.5 cm) of rain fell within roughly 20 minutes on a rocky slope where there is a steep drop in elevation. The heavy rainfall followed two smaller systems that had drenched the area several hours earlier.

“So when the main storm moved in, torrential rain fell on everything that was already soaked, and that caused all the problems that we’re seeing,” McCollum said.

The National Weather Service said the flooding occurred on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek flows from the North Rim down to the Colorado River, dropping around 6,000 feet (1,828 metres).

More rain and thunderstorms were possible in the area into Monday.

The damage to the pipeline has also disrupted an ongoing effort to upgrade the Grand Canyon’s water delivery system. The pipeline serves tourists and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village, with the park receiving about 6 million visitors a year.

A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system began in 2023. The project was expected to be completed next year, with the National Park Service describing it as a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors.

The pipeline has failed frequently over the years, but halting overnight stays because of a lack of water is rare. The Grand Canyon has large storage tanks for potable water on the South Rim, but they will not be refilled while the pipeline remains out of service.

Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, raised concerns about the cost if the infrastructure at the bottom of the canyon has to be reconstructed.

“Heaven help us if the whole thing down there at the bottom has to be reconstructed,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. “Where are they going to get the money?”

According to Associated Press, authorities continued evacuation and search efforts on Sunday as they worked to account for people who remained missing or unaccounted for.