Major Flash Flooding at the Grand Canyon: At Least 15 People Missing

Rescue teams in Arizona continued efforts today (Monday) to locate 15 people reported missing after a powerful flash flood struck the Inner Canyon area of Grand Canyon National Park on Shabbat. The flooding caused severe damage to infrastructure, destroyed nearly all pedestrian bridges over Bright Angel Creek, and forced the closure of popular trails and campgrounds.

Search and evacuation operations expanded yesterday, with two helicopters from the National Park Service and the Arizona Department of Public Safety searching the North Kaibab Trail corridor and the Colorado River. According to a Grand Canyon National Park spokesperson, none of the missing people were located during the aerial searches.

The flood began at around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday near Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch, both popular destinations for hikers. As the water rose quickly, at least 62 people were evacuated by helicopter. Those evacuated were taken to Maswik Lodge on the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

The scale of the destruction is significant. According to the National Park Service, nearly all pedestrian bridges crossing Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, preventing hikers from crossing the creek. Due to the damage, Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch canteen, and the entire North Kaibab Trail, from its trailhead to Phantom Ranch, have been closed until further notice. Authorities have not yet said when the affected areas may reopen. Alongside the search for the missing, officials are concerned that weather conditions could complicate rescue operations and lead to additional incidents.