The Grand Canyon was hit by a devastating flash flood over the weekend, leading to the discovery of the bodies of a Texas chiropractor and another individual. The torrential rain triggered the flood, prompting forecasters to warn of potential further flooding as heavy rainfall engulfed the canyon walls. Around 80 people were rescued during the flood, with one person still missing.
Officials, including Incident Cmdr. Dave Black, utilized night vision technology and other tools to locate individuals in need of evacuation from the park. The park’s permit system and vehicle license plate checks were employed to track missing persons. Grand Canyon deputy superintendent Brian Drapeaux noted that there might be day hikers unaccounted for due to their lack of permits.
Weather experts cautioned that additional rain and thunderstorms could bring more flooding to the popular tourist destination. The flood severely damaged the canyon’s sole water pipeline, necessitating emergency water usage restrictions for residents and the closure of lodges and hotels to tourists within the park.
Video footage depicted muddy floodwaters carrying debris and remnants of structures through the canyon. The National Weather Service attributed the rapid flash flooding to four successive waves of rainfall over two creek drainages that occurred during the weekend. On average, the area receives less than 25 centimeters of rain per year.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered near Crystal Rapids, with another body also found, as reported by the Grand Canyon National Park. The flood destroyed footbridges, altered the landscape significantly, and created what appeared to be a new river rapid.
Popular tourist spots such as Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch remained closed as officials assessed the damage. Rafting trips on the Colorado River were suspended. Hikers, including Parth Desai and Erica Viola, shared their harrowing experiences of encountering the floodwaters and being rescued by helicopter.
The flash flood occurred on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek descends from the North Rim to the Colorado River over a steep drop in elevation. The dynamic and active nature of the Grand Canyon landscape was underscored by the catastrophic event.