One Dead, 15 People Unaccounted For After Flash Flooding at the Grand Canyon

One person has died and some 15 people are missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood ripped through the Grand Canyon over the weekend, park service officials said on Sunday.The National Park Service (NPS) posted on social media late Sunday night that it has recovered the body of a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. It did not provide any other information.In a separate statement, the NPS asked the public for information on 15 individuals who may be missing or remain unaccounted for. As of Sunday morning, 62 people have been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, and more were expected to be evacuated in nearby areas, NPS officials added.NPS asked those who know of hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday, “as well as anyone who had a campground reservation in the affected corridor,” to provide information.The flash-flood event occurred in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Saturday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m. Arizona is currently in the throes of the monsoon season, and storms poured over the Grand Canyon from early Saturday morning and returned in the evening. Nearly all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed in the floods, the Park Service said, preventing hikers from crossing. NPS is continuing to assess the extent of the damage. Parts of the canyon—Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch—were closed until further notice. The Transcanyon Waterline, a 12.5-mi. pipeline in the Grand Canyon that carries water for drinking and fire suppression has also been damaged. With that pipeline out of action, the park has a limited water supply and has resorted to conservation measures. Other restrictions have been imposed following the floods. By Monday, all concessions inside the park will end overnight accommodations. Only dry camping—camping without utility hookups to water or sewage—will be allowed on the South Rim, and fires on the South Rim and inner canyon areas will be prohibited.NPS also warned that flash floods may recur and cause debris flow, as thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are anticipated until Monday. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff, Ariz. has issued a flash flood watch, urging caution in flood-prone areas like creeks, slot canyons, and low water crossings, among others.The restrictions come days before the Labor Day holiday weekend in the U.S.