Two dead and one still unaccounted for in Grand Canyon flash floods, officials say

A flash flood hit the Grand Canyon on Saturday, caused by a monsoonal downpour that lashed the northern side of the huge canyon. The flood sent torrents of water, rock, and debris down a popular hiking course, washing out campgrounds in Bright Angel Canyon and around the historic Phantom Ranch. Two men are known to have died in the flood, with their bodies recovered.

According to the National Park Service, 82 people were rescued over Saturday and Sunday as a huge operation swung into gear. Rangers had been canvassing the park's camping permit system to determine who might have been there when the disaster struck. As of Monday, nearly all those who were known to be in the canyon had been found, with only one person still unaccounted for, said Dave Black of the National Park Service.

Rescue efforts were hampered on Monday by more heavy rains that swept through the region, a natural part of the seasonal monsoon that frequently causes flash floods. The Grand Canyon remains open to visitors, despite destroyed footbridges and blocked hiking routes caused by the flooding.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews, Free Malaysia Today, Gulf News — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.