One person is dead and at least 15 people are missing after flash flooding ripped through parts of Grand Canyon National Park over the weekend, leading to a widespread search and rescue mission as well as evacuations, including at numerous riverside campgrounds, the National Park Service (NPS) said Sunday.
Weather forecasters warned that rain and thunderstorms could bring more flooding to the popular tourist attraction in northwestern Arizona, where the deluge destroyed the canyon’s only water pipeline, leading to emergency water restrictions for year-round residents.
The incident complicates ongoing efforts to modernize the water pipeline that serves six million visitors annually and about 1,600 Grand Canyon Village residents.
The floods caused significant infrastructure damage elsewhere, the NPS said in an update Sunday, destroying footbridges that provided hiker access to the bottom of the inner canyon on the north side of the Colorado River.
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“Grand Canyon National Park staff are continuing to assess damage to trails, bridges, utilities, facilities and other infrastructure,” the statement said.
Tourists have been banned from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park, as water shortages endure and flood risks continue.
The Grand Canyon has large water storage tanks on the South Rim, but they can’t be refilled while the pipeline is down.
Residents and visitors have been asked to conserve water while the system is stabilized.
Visiting the Grand Canyon can be particularly risky in the summer because of the potential for flash flooding that accompanies the monsoon season, meaning clear, sunny days can rapidly give way to downpours.
“With deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations, an elevated risk of flash flooding will be in place through Monday,” the NPS said Monday.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered along the Colorado River Sunday evening, the National Park Service said in an X post Sunday evening, without providing further details.
More than 60 people were from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail on Sunday.
In an X post Sunday evening, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said her “heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon.”
The state’s Department of Emergency and Military Affairs was co-ordinating with the National Park Service and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts, Hobbs said.
A US$208-million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system started in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors. The project was expected to be completed next year.
The park remains open for day visitors, with some operations potentially operating on reduced hours, the park said.
The national park is no stranger to natural disasters. Last summer, wildfires destroyed a historic lodge and a visitors centre on the North Rim, along with cabins, employee housing and a wastewater treatment plant.
Several hikers died inside the park earlier this summer in extreme heat-related incidents.
— with files from The Associated Press.
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