At least 15 people may be missing after flash flood in Arizona’s Grand Canyon

At least 15 people may be missing after a major flash flood swept through parts of Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, turning a remote section of the canyon into an active search and safety operation.

The flooding struck the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area on Saturday afternoon. Park staff and the Arizona Department of Public Safety had evacuated more than 60 people by Sunday morning. No injuries had been reported at that point.

Park officials closed Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, as well as the North Kaibab Trail from its trailhead to Phantom Ranch. They asked the public for information about hikers or backpackers who may have been in the Bright Angel Creek corridor, along with anyone holding a campground reservation in the affected area.

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Most of it ran off instantly.

Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed. River traffic on the Colorado River was also suspended until further notice as metal structures and debris entered the water.

Justin Johndrow, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Flagstaff, told the Associated Press that between half an inch and 1 inch of rain fell in about 30 minutes. Much of the rain ran off immediately in the steep, rocky terrain. The flooding occurred on the canyon’s north side, where Bright Angel Creek descends from the North Rim to the Colorado River, dropping about 6,000 feet. More rain and thunderstorms remained possible into Monday.

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Hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor