Fifteen People Missing After Flash Flood Hits Grand Canyon

About 15 people were missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon, destroying footbridges and dramatically reshaping Bright Angel Creek.

The National Park Service said the flooding hit Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Saturday. Earlier estimates had placed the number of people believed missing at more than 20. By Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated, with further evacuations planned. No deaths or injuries had been confirmed.

The flooding altered the terrain, widening the creek bed and creating what appeared to be a new river rapid. Popular locations, including Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and sections of the North Kaibab Trail, remained closed while officials surveyed the damage and tried to account for everyone in the area.

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This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is.

People at the campground described rapidly worsening conditions. Erica Viola said she and about 50 other hikers watched the creek rise as debris, including what appeared to be a bunkhouse, moved past them. The group was flown to safety, ending her trip two days early.

Parth Desai, hiking with fellow physicians and a park ranger, said the group saw waterfalls, boulders, mud and landslides during the downpour. As they moved toward Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted, "Up, Up, Up, Up!" after a roughly one-meter wall of debris headed toward them. They ran into a patch of cacti and were later rescued by helicopter.

National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow said between 1 and 2.5 centimetres of rain fell within 30 minutes in the steep, rocky area. Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, called the flooding a reminder of how quickly the Grand Canyon landscape can change.

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Up, Up, Up, Up!