Dozens evacuated from Grand Canyon after flash flood hits creek leading to the Colorado River

Dozens evacuated from Grand Canyon after flash flood hits creek leading to the Colorado River 0 seconds of 1 minute, 9 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up US seeks to tap human appetite for seafood to fight growing numbers of invasive European green crabs 01:41 Subtitle Settings OffEnglish(US)_v Font Color White Font Opacity 100% Font Size 100% Font Family Arial Character Edge None Edge Color Black Background Color Black Background Opacity 50% Window Color Black Window Opacity 0% Reset WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25% 200%175%150%125%100%75%50% ArialCourierGeorgiaImpactLucida ConsoleTahomaTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdana NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop Shadow WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% 00:00 01:09 01:09 More Videos 01:41 US seeks to tap human appetite for seafood to fight growing numbers of invasive European green crabs 01:20 Alabama Shakes return after a decade apart 00:50 Trump calls NASA after successful telescope launch 01:29 Dolly Parton's family announcement after star dies aged 80 00:40 Cute bush dog pups venture outside for first time after being born at UK zoo 01:31 US Senator Darline Graham speaks after winning GOP primary runoff to replace her late brother in US Senate 00:34 At least 47 people killed, more than 50 kidnapped in gang attack near Haiti's capital 00:52 CCTV footage show floodwaters and debris overtaking Gyirong Port Close 1 of 3 | About 50 hikers were safely airlifted out of the area, according to local media reports, and a number of trails were closed out as a safety precaution. 2 of 3 | This photo provided by the National Park Service shows remnants of stone bridge pylons along Bright Angel Creek in the Grand Canyon following a flash flood that destroyed the footbridge, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (James Thompson/National Park Service via AP) 3 of 3 | Bright Angel Creek near the Phantom Ranger Station in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, is seen after flash flooding from storms, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Parth Desai via AP) By Jamie Stengle and Felicia Fonseca Updated 11:54 PM MESZ, August 30, 2026 Leer en español Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A major flash flood at the Grand Canyon 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 and has left the park service seeking information about 15 people who may be missing or unaccounted for. 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. As the park service tries to account for everyone in the area, it is asking asked anyone with details about people hiking or camping there to get in touch. It said it was working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to continue evacuations Sunday. “This is a reminder of what a dynamic and active landscape Grand Canyon is,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. 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. Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers 5 MIN READ 139 Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions 5 MIN READ Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles 5 MIN READ 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 1 inch (1 centimeter to 2.5 centimeters) 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. 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. Stengle reported from Dallas. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, and in Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, also contributed. Felicia Fonseca Fonseca oversees an 11-state region that takes in the Mountain West and the Midwest. Previously, she covered Indigenous affairs and northern Arizona, including the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River, tourism, mining and major crimes. mailto