Grand Canyon braces for more storms after deadly flash flood, about 15 people still missing

Grand Canyon braces for more storms after deadly flash flood, about 15 people still missing 0 seconds of 1 minute, 0Volume 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 CCTV footage show floodwaters and debris overtaking Gyirong Port 00:52 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 01:00 01:00 More Videos 00:52 CCTV footage show floodwaters and debris overtaking Gyirong Port 01:20 Trump oil deal draws skepticism and anger in Venezuela 01:55 Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America 'effective immediately' 00:30 Nepal students survive devastating floods thanks to lunch break 00:36 Novak Djokovic out in US Open 1st round for the first time 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 Close 1 of 5 | 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 5 | 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) 3 of 5 | 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) 4 of 5 | This photo shows Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after it was hit by heavy flooding a day earlier. (Craig Sanderson via AP) 5 of 5 | This photo shows Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, after it was hit by heavy flooding a day earlier. (Craig Sanderson via AP) By JAMIE STENGLE and FELICIA FONSECA Updated 1:01 PM MESZ, August 31, 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) — More rain and thunderstorms were possible Monday at the Grand Canyon following a major flash flood that left one person dead and about 15 others missing or unaccounted for, with scores of visitors evacuated and the only water pipeline for tourists and residents destroyed. Emergency water restrictions that began Monday prevented tourists from staying overnight at lodges and hotels within the park. Year-round residents were asked to conserve water. A flood watch was in effect. Visiting the Grand Canyon — a crown jewel of the national park system — can be particularly dangerous in the summer because of the risk of flash flooding that accompanies the monsoon, or rainy season. Clear days can give way quickly to thunderstorms and downpours. “With deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations, an elevated risk of flash flooding will be in place through Monday,” the National Weather Service said early Monday. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, the National Park Service said without providing additional details. The flooding Saturday in Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the river, led to more than 60 people being airlifted from the depths of the canyon. The park service asked anyone with details about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to get in touch. The Arizona Department of Public Safety helped with additional evacuations Sunday. Grand Canyon flash flood leaves 1 dead and several missing or unaccounted for, park service says 2 MIN READ Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers 3 MIN READ 73 Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles 3 MIN READ 73 “These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the park said in a statement. Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with fellow physicians and a park ranger when heavy rain started falling Saturday. “We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he said. Later, as they made their way toward Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted “Up, Up, Up, Up!” as a 4-foot (1-meter) debris wall headed toward them and they ran up into a patch of cacti, he said. They were rescued by helicopter late Saturday after making it to the Phantom Ranch area, he said. Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over the creek and altered the landscape, widening the creek bed and extending an existing river rapid or creating a new one. The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the pipeline that serves 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village. “Heaven help us if the whole thing down there at the bottom has to be reconstructed,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. “Where are they going to get the money?” Halting overnight stays at the park because of a lack of water is rare, although the pipeline frequently has failed over the years. While the Grand Canyon has large storage tanks for potable water on the South Rim, they won’t be refilled while the pipeline is out of service. A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system started in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors. The project was expected to be completed next year. Stengle reported from Dallas. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles 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