2 Dead, Others Missing After Grand Canyon Flash Flooding

Two people are dead and others are missing after flash flooding in the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service stated on Aug. 31.

The body of a 46-year-old man was found near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, according to the service. It has not provided details about the second deceased individual.

“Visitors are asked to remain out of the closure area while search and recovery operations continue,” the service said in a statement on Aug. 31. “Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch remain closed until further notice.”

The Grand Canyon is a 1.2-million-acre national park in Arizona that is visited by more than 4 million people each year.

Flash floods in the area of Bright Angel Canyon, which leads to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and Phantom Ranch, a set of cabins and other structures on the bottom of the canyon, resulted in more than 20 people “who may be missing or unaccounted for,” the service stated over the weekend.

Anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were hiking along the Bright Angel Creek area, including on the North Kaibab Trail, or who had a reservation at the Bright Angel Campground, was asked to contact the service.

National Park Service staffers at Grand Canyon National Park, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were evacuating people due to the floods while searching for those missing.

The flash floods took place on Aug. 29. They caused “extensive damage” to infrastructure, including a waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park, according to the service.

Because of that development, Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 31 began halting all overnight stays at the South Rim, the park’s most-visited portion. That includes stays at facilities such as Bright Angel Lodge and Phantom Ranch.

Facilities outside the park in the town of Tusayan are not closing.

The park also imposed water restrictions on the South Rim. People will not be able to connect to spigots at camping areas, although bathroom faucets will remain accessible. No fires are allowed on the South Rim or inside the canyon until further notice.

“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the service said in a statement. “We are asking residents and visitors to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate offices.”