Two people killed in Grand Canyon flash flood, one still missing
A flash flood in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona claimed the lives of two men. As of the evening of August 31, the whereabouts of one more person had not been established. A monsoon downpour swept across the northern part of the canyon on Saturday, sending torrents of water, rocks and debris onto a popular hiking trail.
As Euronews reports, the floodwaters damaged campgrounds in Bright Angel Canyon and near the historic Phantom Ranch. Search-and-rescue teams found the bodies of the two victims.
Rescue operation
U.S. National Park Service spokesperson Dave Black said rescuers had made contact with more than a dozen people who had previously been unaccounted for. A total of 82 people were rescued on Saturday and Sunday.
Park staff checked campground permit records, vehicle license plates and other available information, and contacted relatives to determine who might have been in the canyon during the flood. The search also continued because the disaster could have caught day hikers on the trails, who do not need a permit to be in the canyon.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Damaged infrastructure
New heavy rains on Monday complicated rescue operations. According to Black, improved weather expected on Tuesday was expected to help in the search for the person whose whereabouts had still not been established.
The flood damaged or destroyed 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies drinking water and firefighting water from Roaring Springs on the North Rim to the South Rim of the canyon. Park authorities imposed restrictions on water use in the most visited part of the area and banned wood- and charcoal-fueled fires in areas where water shortages could hinder firefighting.
The flood also destroyed pedestrian bridges and made it impossible to cross Bright Angel Creek. The Grand Canyon remained open to visitors, but staff warned about the risk of sudden downpours.
