- The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered on Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, and about 15 others remain missing or unaccounted for.
- The Grand Canyon area braced for more rain and thunderstorms on Monday after a flash flood left one person dead and about 15 others missing, with scores of visitors evacuated and the only water pipeline for tourists and residents destroyed.
- Emergency water restrictions began on Monday, preventing tourists from staying overnight at lodges and hotels within the park, and a flood watch was in effect.
- The flooding in Bright Angel Creek led to more than 60 people being airlifted from the canyon's depths, and the park service asked for information about hikers or campers still unaccounted for.
- The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of an elevated risk of flash flooding through Monday due to deep monsoonal moisture and saturated soils.
- The flood destroyed footbridges and altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and extending an existing river rapid or creating a new one, and it damaged the pipeline serving 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village.
- A $208m rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the water delivery system started in 2023, expected to be completed next year, but the park's water storage tanks won't be refilled while the pipeline is out of service.
The Grand Canyon is bracing for additional storms after a devastating flash flood resulted in one death and left approximately 15 individuals missing. The flood, which occurred on Saturday, prompted emergency water restrictions and a flood watch remains in effect.345
The National Park Service reported that the body of a 46-year-old man was recovered near Crystal Rapids, while efforts continue to locate the missing. Over 60 people were airlifted from the canyon due to the flooding, which severely impacted the area.12
Emergency water restrictions initiated on Monday have halted overnight stays at lodges and hotels within the park, as the only water pipeline serving both tourists and residents was destroyed. The National Weather Service warned of an elevated risk of flash flooding due to saturated soils and deep monsoonal moisture.
Witnesses described the chaos as torrents of water transformed the landscape, with one hiker, Parth Desai, recalling, “We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere.” The flood has also disrupted a $208 million rehabilitation project aimed at modernizing the water delivery system for the park, which serves 6 million visitors annually.910
While large storage tanks for potable water exist on the South Rim, they will not be refilled until the pipeline is restored, complicating the situation for both residents and visitors.
“The flood destroyed the only water pipeline serving 6 million annual visitors and 1,600 residents, prompting a $208m rehabilitation project started in 2023. More than 60 people were airlifted from the canyon, and hiker Parth Desai described a 4ft debris wall forcing them to run to safety.”
The Guardian
