“Terrifying” flash flooding in the Grand Canyon killed one, as over a dozen hikers feared missing.
According to CNN, a flash flood on Sunday, August 30, tore through the national park in Arizona, destroying footbridges and forcing dozens of hikers and campers to evacuate.
The park officials said on Sunday night that a 46-year-old man lost his life in the flooding, whose body was recovered near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River.
As per the officials, some 15 people are missing after parts of the canyon were hit by a significant flash flood.
The National Park Service has called for the information about the hikers and backpackers who were present at the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area on Saturday afternoon.
NPS stated, “Grand Canyon National Park staff, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, are continuing evacuation and response efforts and working to account for individuals who may have been in the affected area.”
Officials earlier said that the authorities evacuated 62 people from the park. NPS said, “Nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating pedestrian access across the creek.”
Extensive infrastructure damage
Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch Canteen, the North Kaibab Trail, the Black and Silver bridges and traffic to the Colorado River were closed “until further notice.”
NPS noted that flooding has caused “extensive damage to infrastructure in the inner canyon, including the Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water from the canyon for use in the park."
"The waterline is currently not operational, leaving the park with limited water reserves and requiring significant water conservation measures to ensure available supplies can be maintained,” it added.
It is worth noting that Grand Canyon National Park is ranked the fourth-most visited national park in the US, with 4,430,653 recreational visits recorded in 2025.
