The discovery of the bodies of a Texas chiropractor and another individual follows a significant flash flood in the Grand Canyon over the weekend, with the threat of further flooding looming due to heavy rain engulfing the canyon walls. Approximately 80 individuals were rescued during the flood, and authorities are seeking information on one person who remains missing.
Incident Cmdr. Dave Black mentioned that officials utilized night vision and other tools to locate individuals requiring evacuation from the park during the weekend. Park rangers utilized the park’s permit system and checked vehicle license plates to track the number of missing persons.
Grand Canyon deputy superintendent Brian Drapeaux noted that there could be day hikers who did not obtain permits and thus were not listed as missing by the park. Weather forecasters cautioned that additional rain and thunderstorms might lead to more flooding at the popular tourist destination, where numerous visitors were evacuated following the flood in Bright Angel Creek on Saturday.
The flood also caused severe damage to the sole water pipeline in the canyon, resulting in emergency water restrictions for permanent residents, with tourists prohibited from staying at lodges and hotels within the park. Footage from the area depicted a forceful rush of muddy, debris-laden floodwaters carrying remnants of a bunkhouse and rocks through the canyon. The National Weather Service reported four successive “waves of rainfall” across two creek drainages during the weekend, triggering sudden flash flooding.
The National Park Service indicated that the region typically receives less than 25 centimeters of rainfall annually. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River on Sunday evening, while a second body was also retrieved, as per a statement on Facebook by the Grand Canyon National Park.
The flooding destroyed footbridges over the creek and significantly altered the landscape, expanding the creek bed and forming what appeared to be a new river rapid. Popular tourist spots such as the Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch, and parts of the North Kaibab trail remained closed on Sunday as park officials assessed the damage. Rafting trips on the Colorado River have been temporarily suspended.
During the downpour, Parth Desai, accompanied by a group of fellow physicians and a park ranger, witnessed the flooding in Bright Angel Canyon, prompting them to seek higher ground. Erica Viola, who was at the Bright Angel campground when the rain began, recounted watching the creek rise and debris flow past, including what seemed to be a bunkhouse.
Around 1.2 to 2.5 centimeters of rain fell within 30 minutes in the rocky area with a steep elevation drop, explained National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow. The flooding occurred on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek descends from the North Rim to the Colorado River.
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