World News
Grand Canyon flash floods leave two dead and one missing
A search continues for one missing person after monsoonal rains triggered flash flooding that destroyed trails, bridges, and water infrastructure.
The short version
- Flash flooding in the Grand Canyon killed at least two men and left one person missing following heavy monsoonal rains on Saturday.
- National Park Service crews airlifted 82 people to safety from Phantom Ranch, one of the hardest-hit areas.
- The flooding destroyed vital footbridges and damaged approximately 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water to visitors and residents.
Key facts
- Flash flooding began in Bright Angel Canyon on Saturday afternoon, triggered by monsoonal storms.[BBC News]
- Two adult males were killed in the flooding, including a 46-year-old man whose body was recovered near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River.[BBC News]
- National Park Service rangers initially reported 30 unaccounted-for individuals, but reduced that count to one missing person by Monday.[BBC News]
- Rescue crews airlifted 45 people on Saturday and another 37 on Sunday afternoon from the Phantom Ranch area.[BBC News]
- The flooding destroyed almost all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek and damaged about 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, prompting closures of trails, bridges, and Phantom Ranch.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- The identity of the second deceased male and the identity of the single remaining missing person have not been publicly disclosed.[BBC News]
Sources
- One still missing after Grand Canyon floods kill two and prompts rescue effortsBBC News - Science & Environment