Dozens were evacuated and about 15 people are feared missing after major flash flooding hit the Grand Canyon in the US state of Arizona, the National Park Service has said.
As of Sunday morning, 62 people were evacuated due to flooding in the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas on Saturday afternoon, the National Park Service said. The floods swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River, which runs through the park.
“The National Park Service is asking the public to provide information for approximately 15 individuals who may be missing or unaccounted for following a significant flash-flood event,” it said in a statement.
The flooding in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River, wiped out footbridges over the creek and significantly altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and creating what appeared to be a new river rapid.
Popular tourist spots, including the Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and parts of the North Kaibab trail, remained closed on Sunday while park officials surveyed the damage, the park said. Rafting trips on the Colorado River also have been halted for now.
Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with a group of fellow doctors and a park ranger when the downpour started.
“We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere; boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he told The Associated Press news agency.
“This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is,” Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University, told AP.
The Grand Canyon National Park Service said it is working in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, with additional evacuations planned on Sunday. No injuries have been reported so far.
More rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the area into Monday.
