Overview
- A sudden flash flood hit Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch on Saturday, Aug. 29, with a storm cell around 2:30 p.m. producing fast debris flows that destroyed footbridges and washed structures into the Colorado River.
- Park officials have confirmed two fatalities and say one person remains missing while rescue teams have evacuated and rescued dozens of people, with authorities reporting about 82 people removed from the canyon by air and other means.
- Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed and the Colorado River reach in the affected area is closed to river traffic because of metal and debris in the water.
- Preliminary inspections show roughly 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline was damaged or destroyed, prompting Stage 4 water restrictions on the South Rim, suspension of overnight lodging inside the park, and urgent repair planning.
- Officials say repeated storms, saturated drainages and the 2025 Dragon Bravo fire scar amplified runoff and debris risk, search-and-rescue operations are continuing with multi-agency teams using drones and technical search units, and forecasts for more thunderstorms threaten recovery and repairs ahead of peak visitor days.