Body of 46-year-old man recovered after Grand Canyon flash flood

The US National Park Service said Sunday that one person has died and around 15 people remain unaccounted for after a major flash flood hit the Grand Canyon. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered late Sunday near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, and coroner's officials were on site.

The flooding began Saturday afternoon in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River. More than 60 people were evacuated from the canyon's depths, and the park service asked anyone with information about missing hikers or campers to come forward. The Arizona Department of Public Safety assisted with further evacuations on Sunday.

Water system damaged

The floodwaters destroyed footbridges over the creek and reshaped the landscape, widening the creek bed and creating or extending a river rapid. The flood severely damaged the sole pipeline supplying water to both tourists and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village. Starting Monday, tourists will no longer be able to stay overnight at lodges and hotels within the park, while year-round residents have been asked to conserve water.

A $208 million (€179 million) project to rehabilitate the pipeline and upgrade the water delivery system has been underway since 2023 and was due to finish next year. Popular sites including Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch remained closed on Sunday.

What caused it

National Weather Service meteorologist Darren McCollum said between 1 and 2.5 centimetres of rain fell within about 20 minutes on a steep rocky slope, following two smaller storms that had already soaked the ground earlier. The flooding hit the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek descends roughly 1,828 metres from the North Rim to the Colorado River. Forecasters warned further rain and thunderstorms were possible into Monday.