One dead and more than a dozen missing after ‘terrifying’ flash flood hits Grand Canyon

A flash flood in the Grand Canyon claimed one life and left 15 people missing or unaccounted for, according to the National Park Service (NPS). The disaster struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Saturday afternoon, destroying footbridges and propelling boulders downstream. A 46-year-old man's body was discovered near Crystal Rapids on Sunday evening, reported CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Among those airlifted out of the area were Nikki Baggs, 41, and two friends. Baggs described the situation as "terrifying," revealing how a beautiful day turned chaotic as people screamed and ran. She and her companions had been at a cabin in Phantom Ranch, a remote lodge at the canyon's bottom, when they decided to explore despite the approaching rain.

Baggs recounted how park rangers repeatedly instructed them to move to higher ground before ultimately evacuating at 9:30 p.m. local time (4:30 a.m. GMT). She expressed gratitude for the swift response, crediting it to a well-coordinated effort that ensured their safety.

The recent heavy rains in the Grand Canyon region, and the broader southwestern US, were attributed to monsoonal showers. Monsoon storms, resulting from a change in wind direction bringing warm, moist air from the Gulf of California and the tropical Pacific, can strike suddenly and without warning. These storms, occurring during dry conditions, lead to dangerous flash flooding and pose significant wildfire risks.

Flooding alerts from the National Weather Service cover extensive areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado, with showers continuing into Monday, maintaining the threat of flooding for weeks.

The NPS is seeking information about the 15 people reported missing or unaccounted for, reporting extensive trail damage and closure of lodgings in the South Rim due to the floods' severe impact on water infrastructure. Overnight guests at the South Rim will be asked to vacate until further notice. The park is also urging hikers and backpackers from the Bright Angel Creek corridor to contact authorities if they were in the inner canyon on Saturday.

The Grand Canyon, a popular US national park hosting around five million visitors annually, features the Bright Angel trail as its most frequented hike. The park warned of upcoming thunderstorms and heavy rainfall on Sunday and Monday, predicting further flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall, and changes in trail and river conditions.