More than 20 people may be missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood swept through Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area of Arizona’s Grand Canyon, prompting an emergency operation by park officials.
The flood struck at about 2.30pm on Saturday, sending torrents of muddy water and debris through the canyon. The National Park Service has asked anyone who was hiking, camping or staying in the affected area to provide information that could help account for those believed to be in the region.
Some of the people being sought may have been travelling along the North Kaibab Trail between the trailhead and Phantom Ranch, or staying at Bright Angel Campground and in an area known as the Box.
At least 62 people were evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning. Further evacuations from Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch were also being arranged in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
No injuries had been reported in the latest information released by the park service. Evacuees were taken to the Maswik Lodge cafeteria on the South Rim, where the American Red Cross was helping to provide assistance. ([nps.gov](https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/significant-flash-flooding-closes-phantom-ranch-and-north-kaibab-trail.htm?utm_source=openai))
Grand Canyon trails and bridges closed after flooding
The flooding destroyed nearly all of the footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek, leaving hikers unable to move safely across the swollen waterway. Officials were assessing damage to trails, bridges, utilities and buildings throughout the inner canyon.
Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the ranch’s canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail have been closed until further notice. The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge, which cross the Colorado River, have also been shut, while river traffic has been suspended because metal structures and other debris were swept into the water. ([nps.gov](https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/significant-flash-flooding-closes-phantom-ranch-and-north-kaibab-trail.htm?utm_source=openai))
Video footage from the area showed mudslides cutting through the landscape as hikers watched from a bridge above. Large pieces of debris could be seen being carried along by the brown floodwater.
The National Park Service said additional thunderstorms and heavy rain were possible on Sunday and Monday, raising the risk of further flash floods, debris flows and rockfalls.
The agency has also warned that watersheds affected by the Dragon Bravo Fire are particularly vulnerable to sudden flooding and debris flows during storms, with runoff able to reach the canyon in a matter of minutes. ([nps.gov](https://www.nps.gov/grca/northrimstatus.htm?utm_source=openai))
There is currently no estimated date for reopening the closed areas. Park staff, working with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were continuing evacuation and response efforts while trying to establish the whereabouts of those who may have been caught in the flood.
