FLAGSTAFF, AZ — A major flash flood at Grand Canyon National Park left one person dead and about 15 people missing or unaccounted for after heavy rain hit Bright Angel Creek and sent water surging through the canyon, the National Park Service said Sunday.
The flood forced evacuations, pushed large boulders into the Colorado River and damaged the only water pipeline serving visitors and year-round residents. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids, and Arizona coroner officials were on scene.
Park officials said more than 60 people were airlifted from the canyon after the flooding began Saturday. The park service also asked anyone with information about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to contact officials.
Rescues And Evacuations
As rain intensified Saturday, the floodwater moved quickly through Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River. The National Park Service said the sudden surge led to large-scale evacuations and rescue efforts in the lower canyon area.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety helped with additional evacuations on Sunday. One group of hikers described being taken out by helicopter late Saturday after reaching the Phantom Ranch area, underscoring how fast conditions changed in the canyon.
Parth Desai said he was hiking through a narrow section of Bright Angel Canyon with fellow physicians and a park ranger when the weather turned. He described creek water rising, waterfalls appearing and landslides breaking loose before a debris wall pushed toward the group, forcing them to run for higher ground.
Water System Damage
The flood also knocked out the canyon’s sole water pipeline, a problem with immediate effects for park operations. Starting Monday, tourists will not be able to stay overnight at lodges and hotels inside the park because the limited potable water supply cannot support those stays.
Year-round residents are being asked to conserve water while the pipeline is out of service. The park service said those steps are necessary to protect the water supply and keep it sustainable during the outage.
The South Rim has storage tanks for drinking water, but park officials said they will not be refilled while the pipeline remains down. That makes the damage more than a short-term inconvenience for one of the nation’s busiest parks.
Closures Across The Canyon
Several popular destinations remained closed Sunday, including Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch, which includes a historic canteen and dormitories. Lodging was still available just outside the park at Tusayan, near the South Rim entrance station.
Erica Viola said she was among about 50 hikers at Bright Angel Campground who watched the creek rise and debris move downstream, including what appeared to be part of a bunkhouse. Her helicopter ride out ended the trip two days early.
The park service said the flooding was especially severe on the north side of the canyon, where Bright Angel Creek drops about 6,000 feet from the North Rim to the Colorado River. The storm also altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and changing the course of the rapid area.
Repair Effort Under Pressure
The flood hit as the park is already trying to modernize the aging pipeline and related water system. A $208 million rehabilitation project began in 2023 and had been expected to finish next year.
Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, said the damage could force a major reconstruction effort if the lower canyon system must be rebuilt. He also pointed to the cost, saying the question now is where the money would come from.
National Weather Service meteorologist Darren McCollum said about half an inch to 1 inch of rain fell in roughly 20 minutes on a steep, rocky slope. More rain and thunderstorms were possible into Monday, keeping the threat of additional flooding in the forecast.
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