Grand Canyon Flood Claims Lives, Leaves Several Missing

A major flash flood that swept through Grand Canyon National Park over the weekend has resulted in the deaths of at least two people, including a Texas chiropractor, and left several others missing, according to officials and family members.

The body of Dr. John Giusti, a 53-year-old chiropractor from Granbury, Texas, was recovered following the flooding. His family identified him as one of the deceased, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and CBS News. Two of his hiking companions, Brent Rosenkranz, 42, a martial arts studio owner from Texas, and Timothy Smith, 53, a pilot from Wyoming, remain missing, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Giusti's family said the three men set out Thursday on a trip he had dreamed of, planning to spend two nights at the bottom of the canyon fishing and hiking. They were last heard from Friday, and their families have not had contact since, according to a joint statement released Monday and quoted by CBS News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Park officials reported that a body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, and they were trying to recover a second body, as CBS News detailed. The Economic Times and NBC10 Boston also reported that rescuers found the bodies of the chiropractor and at least one other person.

Rescue and Recovery Efforts Continue

Incident Commander Dave Black told reporters that searchers used night vision and other equipment to locate people during the deluge, according to NBC10 Boston. By sunset Saturday, 45 people had been rescued, and 37 more were evacuated on Sunday, Black said, as reported by The Economic Times and NBC10 Boston.

Speaking at a news conference Monday evening, Black said that after reviewing tips, officials had no reason to believe there was anyone else missing besides the one person still unaccounted for, according to NBC10 Boston and NBC 5 Chicago. However, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that searchers on the air and ground continued to look for Rosenkranz and Smith.

Officials used the park's permit system and checked vehicle license plates to track the number of missing people, as described by The Economic Times.

Infrastructure Damage and Emergency Measures

The flash flood severely damaged the only water pipeline into the canyon, prompting officials to bar tourists from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park and to issue emergency water restrictions for year-round residents, as reported by CBS News and The Economic Times.

Grand Canyon Deputy Superintendent Brian Drapeaux said officials anticipate "miles of the pipeline being destroyed," but a full assessment would not be completed until Tuesday at the earliest, according to The Economic Times and NBC10 Boston.

The pipeline is a critical piece of infrastructure. A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system began in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors, CBS News reported.

Eyewitness Accounts and Weather Conditions

Hiker Daniel Evans described how it rained several times before the worst 30-minute downpour hit Saturday afternoon, as detailed by CBS News, The Economic Times, and NBC10 Boston. He and others were evacuated by helicopter, with visitors reporting a massive deluge, rangers warning of rockslides, and huge pools of logs and debris rolling down the river.

More rain fell Monday morning, and forecasters warned that additional flooding could occur at any time, according to CBS News. Rain also fell on part of the Dragon Bravo fire scar, a burn area left by a lightning-caused wildfire in July 2025, which can affect water runoff, as NBC10 Boston noted.

The steep, rocky nature of the canyon itself funnels water rapidly, amplifying the effects of intense rainfall, CBS News reported.

Expert Analysis on the Flood's Causes

Hydroclimatologist A. Park Williams of the University of California, Los Angeles, told CBS News that this year's heavy monsoon rains are especially intense because there is a higher amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, mostly because of a strong El Niño.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain of the California Institute for Water Resources said the link between human-caused climate change and the heavy Arizona rain is "pretty strong," CBS News reported. Swain and colleagues published a study in the journalWeather and Climate Extremes finding that short-term intense downpours in the West, similar to the one that hit the Grand Canyon, have become 10% stronger since 2000.

The flooding occurred in the Bright Angel Creek area, a region that hosts 4.4 million visitors a year, as noted by CBS News and The Economic Times.