At least 15 people are missing in the wake of flash flooding in the Grand Canyon. Authorities are now looking to the public to help identify people who were in the vicinity and were travelling near the North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch.
This includes anyone that was staying at Bright Angel Campground, or travelling or staying in the area known as 'the Box' north of Phantom Ranch. It is unclear who the 15 missing people are, or where they are from.
Dozens evacuated amid flooding
But 62 others were evacuated from the park yesterday amid the flooding that forced the evacuation of dozens of people and swept large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River that runs through it, the National Park Service said. The flooding in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the river, happened Saturday afternoon.
Torrents of water 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. The park service said it was seeking information about more than 15 people who may be missing or unaccounted for after the flood and asked anyone with details about people hiking or camping in the area to get in touch.
Park closures and evacuations
It said it was working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to continue evacuations Sunday. 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. More than 60 people were evacuated from Phantom Ranch, which has a historic canteen and dorms, and is a common spot for rafters to get off and on the river. More evacuations were planned Sunday, the park said. No injuries have been reported.
Witness account and rainfall
Erica Viola said she was at Bright Angel Campground when the rain started Saturday afternoon, and she and about 50 other hikers watched the creek rise and then debris start to flow by, including what looked like a bunkhouse. The group was taken by helicopter to safety, ending her adventure two days early, she said.
About half an inch to one inch (one centimetre to 2.5 centimetres) of rain fell within about 30 minutes in the rocky area where there's a steep drop in elevation, said National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Johndrow in Flagstaff. "Most of it ran off instantly," Johndrow said. He said the flooding happened on the north side of the Grand Canyon, where Bright Angel Creek comes from the North Rim down to the Colorado River, dropping around 6,000 feet (1,828 meters).
More rain and thunderstorms were possible for the area into Monday.
