RismadarVoice Reporters, August 31, 2026
At least one person has died and 15 others are missing or unaccounted for after extreme flash flooding swept through a remote section of the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Sunday.
The National Park Service (NPS) said a 46-year-old man was recovered from Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office was at the scene.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations for hikers, backpackers and campers who may have been trapped by the sudden flooding.
The NPS appealed for information about anyone who may have been hiking or backpacking along Bright Angel Creek, staying at Phantom Ranch or the Bright Angel Campground, or travelling along the North Kaibab Trail.
The number of people reported missing or unaccounted for was revised down from 20 to 15 as authorities continued efforts to establish the whereabouts of visitors in the affected areas.
Among those unaccounted for is a Texas chiropractor who had been documenting his Grand Canyon trip on Facebook. His sister told The New York Times that the family last spoke with him on Saturday afternoon, before the flooding began.
At least 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning, while further evacuations from Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood Campground were expected.
The flooding caused extensive damage to infrastructure inside the canyon, including the Transcanyon Waterline, which supplies water to parts of the park.
The NPS said the waterline was no longer operational, leaving the park with limited water reserves and prompting significant water conservation measures.
All overnight accommodations at park concessions have been suspended, while water restrictions on the South Rim are scheduled to take effect from noon on Monday.
Several footbridges along Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, cutting off hiker access across the creek. Some Colorado River crossings were also closed as officials assessed the damage, while river traffic was suspended because of the danger posed by floating debris.
The National Weather Service warned that the risk of flash flooding remained across northern and central Arizona through Monday evening, with the greatest threat expected just north of the Grand Canyon.
Visitors caught in the flooding described a chaotic evacuation.
David Gregory, who had hiked down the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch on Saturday, said he had checked into a cabin only hours before the rain intensified.
He and his group were later instructed to evacuate. After collecting their belongings, they crossed several footbridges before first responders airlifted Gregory and about 50 others to safety.
Gregory said learning later that one of the bridges they had crossed was destroyed made the experience even more frightening.
Park officials said teams were continuing to assess damage to trails, bridges, utilities, facilities and other infrastructure while search and rescue efforts remained ongoing.
