Flash Flood at Grand Canyon Leaves Dozens Missing, Forces Evacuations

A major flash flood at the Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon forced the evacuation of dozens of people and left more than 20 missing or unaccounted for, according to the National Park Service (NPS). The flood, which hit the Bright Angel Creek area near Phantom Ranch, swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River, destroying footbridges and significantly altering the landscape.

The NPS said it is working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to continue evacuations and account for individuals who may have been in the affected area. As of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated, with additional evacuations planned. No injuries have been reported.

Nikki Baggs, 41, was among those airlifted out of the canyon with her two friends. "The whole thing was terrifying," she told the BBC. "It was a beautiful day and then people were screaming, running." Baggs described how she and her friends had just dropped off their belongings at a cabin in Phantom Ranch when the flood swept through. They headed to higher ground, where rangers directed them to a different ledge. They waited there for hours before being evacuated around 21:30 local time. "It was a really uniquely coordinated effort," she said. "That's what made us feel safe about all of it in an unsafe situation."

Another witness, Erica Viola, said she was at Bright Angel Campground when the rain started. She and about 50 other hikers watched the creek rise and debris begin to flow by, including what looked like a bunkhouse. The group was later taken by helicopter to safety. Parth Desai, hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon, described how a colleague shouted "Up, up, up, up!" as a one-metre debris wall headed toward them.

The flood, which occurred in an area where Bright Angel Creek drops about 1,830 metres from the North Rim to the Colorado River, was triggered by roughly 1 to 5 centimetres of rain falling in about 30 minutes, according to Justin Johndrow, an NPS meteorologist in Flagstaff. "Most of it ran off instantly," he said.

According to the NPS, nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating hiker access across the creek. The Colorado River is closed to river traffic until further notice, and popular spots including Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground and parts of the North Kaibab Trail remain closed. Rafting trips on the river have been halted.

Jack Schmidt, director of the Centre for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, said the event underscores the canyon's dynamic nature: "This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is."

The NPS has asked anyone with information about hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday to come forward. The agency also warned that more thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are possible Sunday and Monday, which could lead to additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall and changing trail and river conditions.

The Grand Canyon, one of the most popular national parks in the US, draws about five million visitors each year. Phantom Ranch, accessible only by foot, mule or raft, has been a destination since 1922.