Grand Canyon National Park is urgently searching for approximately 15 people who may be unaccounted for after a major flash flood swept through a remote section of the canyon, destroying infrastructure and forcing dozens of evacuations. The National Park Service said 62 people had been evacuated as of Sunday morning from Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area, where significant flooding struck on Aug. 29.
Officials are asking the public for help identifying people who may have been in the affected corridor during the flood. The park said it is trying to account for hikers or backpackers who were traveling on the North Kaibab Trail between the North Kaibab Trailhead and Phantom Ranch, staying at Bright Angel Campground, or passing through an area known as "the Box" north of Phantom Ranch. The request also applies to anyone who held a campground reservation in the affected area.
The flooding destroyed nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek, according to the National Park Service. Park staff and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are continuing evacuation and response operations as they work to determine how many people may have been caught in the floodwaters. The agency has not released details about the missing individuals, including whether they were hikers, campers, or visitors with reservations.
Officials warned that additional evacuations are planned and that more thunderstorms and heavy rain are possible Sunday and Monday, raising the threat of further flash flooding, debris flows, and rockfall in the already damaged area. The National Park Service is urging anyone with information about people who were in the inner canyon along Bright Angel Creek on Aug. 29 to contact investigators.
The flash flood is the latest in a series of weather-related dangers to hit the Grand Canyon region. Earlier this summer, multiple hikers died amid scorching temperatures in the park, highlighting the hazards posed by extreme conditions in the remote landscape. The current search comes as severe storms continue to disrupt travel and outdoor activities across the American West.
Anyone with information about individuals who may have been in the affected area is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.