Grand Canyon Flash Flood Leaves One Dead, 15 Missing and 62 Rescued

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:04:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Flash floods at the Grand Canyon kill one, leave 15 missing and rescue 62 hikers amid monsoon‑driven rainstorm.

Heavy monsoon rain swept through the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Canyon, destroying footbridges and sending boulders down the creek. A 46‑year‑old man was found dead near Crystal Rapids, while 62 people were airlifted to safety. The National Park Service reports 15 people remain missing or unaccounted for, and trail closures will continue as the monsoon season persists until the end of September. The incident underscores the unpredictability and danger of flash flooding in the arid Southwest.

Grand Canyon Flash Flood Leaves One Dead, 15 Missing and 62 Rescued

A violent monsoon‑driven rainstorm struck the Grand Canyon Saturday afternoon, turning the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area into a torrent of water and debris. The National Park Service confirmed one fatality—a 46‑year‑old man whose body was found near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River— and reported 15 people are missing or unaccounted for. Sixty‑two hikers and backpackers were air‑lifted to safety by park rangers before the water reached critical depth.

“The whole thing was terrifying,” said Nikki Baggs, a by‑stander who witnessed the flood from a higher ledge at Phantom Ranch. She described how the flood swept through the park, rupturing footbridges and propelling boulders downstream. Baggs and her friends, who had planned a steak dinner at Phantom Ranch, were saved by the well‑coordinated evacuation led by park staff.

The flood was part of a larger monsoon system that pulls moist air from the Gulf of California and the tropical Pacific into southwestern U.S. terrain, producing sudden, heavy rainfall. The National Weather Service has issued flood watches across Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado, warning of continued high‑volume showers that could trigger more flash floods, debris flows, and rockfalls.

The National Park Service is actively searching for the missing hikers and has closed several trails in the affected area. Overnight accommodations on the South Rim are suspended from Monday until further notice because the flooding has damaged the park’s water infrastructure.