20 People Are Missing During US Grand Canyon Flash Floods; Video Shows Massive Devastation

Following a significant flash flood in Grand Canyon National Park in the United States, over twenty persons are reportedly missing. Large rocks, metal buildings, and other debris were carried into the Colorado River that flows through the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area by the unexpected floods, according to the National Park Service.

The service appealed the public for any information regarding the missing, as well as any hikers who were in the area, and stated that it was collaborating with Arizona authorities to evacuate and account for those in the affected area. One verified death in the disaster, according to the authorities, was the recovery of a 46-year-old man’s body.

At around 2:30 pm on Saturday, Bright Angel Creek, which empties into the Colorado River, had a flash flood that destroyed footbridges spanning the creek and drastically changed the surrounding area. The flooding appears to have broadened the stream bed and produced what appears to be a new river rapid, according to local cameras.

“This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape the Grand Canyon is,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Centre for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University.

Erica Viola, one of the survivors, told the Associated Press that she and roughly fifty other hikers were at Bright Angel Campground when the rain began on Saturday afternoon. They watched the creek rise and then debris begin to flow by, including what appeared to be a bunkhouse. Her trip ended two days early when the group was transported to safety by helicopter, she added.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow in Flagstaff, the rocky terrain with a sharp drop in elevation received between half an inch and one inch (1 cm and 2.5 centimetres) of rain in roughly thirty minutes. “Most of it ran off instantly,” Johndrow said.

According to him, the flooding occurred on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek descends approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) from the North Rim to the Colorado River.

It stated that as of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch, which features a historic canteen and dorms and is a popular location for rafters to get off and on the river. Additional evacuations were planned. So yet, no injuries have been recorded.

More thunderstorms and significant rainfall were predicted through Monday, according to the agency, which could result in “additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall, and changing trail and river conditions.” While park officials assessed the damage, famous visitor destinations including the Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch, and portions of the North Kaibab trail were closed on Sunday. Additionally, rafting excursions on the Colorado River have been suspended for the time being.