Flash Floods Sweep Bright Angel Canyon, Kill One and Leave About 15 Missing

Overview

• A sudden flash flood triggered by intense, localized storms on the Kaibab Plateau raced down Bright Angel Canyon on Saturday, Aug. 29, carrying boulders, bridges and other debris into the Colorado River.
• Park crews and helicopters evacuated about 62 visitors from Phantom Ranch and nearby camps after the flood made trails impassable and destroyed footbridges.
• Rescuers recovered the body of a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids and the National Park Service says roughly 15 people remain missing while searches continue.
• The flood severely damaged park infrastructure including the roughly 20-kilometer Transcanyon Waterline, prompting water-use restrictions, a ban on campfires, suspension of commercial rafting and closures of affected lodging and viewpoints.
• Officials warn additional storms could produce new flash floods, debris flows and unstable trail conditions, and the canyon’s steep, sparsely vegetated terrain makes short, heavy rainfall highly likely to generate rapid, high‑speed runoff.