Flash floods devastate Grand Canyon, leaving over 20 hikers missing.
The sudden surge on Saturday, around 14:30 local time, hit Bright Angel Canyon and the surrounding Phantom Ranch area, sweeping through trails and the iconic Bright Angel Creek corridor.
Sixty‑two people were air‑lifted by National Park Service helicopters, with further rescues expected. No injuries were reported, but more than twenty people remain missing.
Trail closures were announced and the park issued a warning that subsequent thunderstorms and heavy rains forecast for Sunday and Monday could trigger additional flash floods, debris flows, rockfall and changing river conditions.
Authorities urged anyone aware of hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor to come forward. The park’s experience with such events underscores how climate change is amplifying extreme weather and making established hiking routes more hazardous.
The Grand Canyon draws approximately five million visitors a year, with the Bright Angel trail being the most popular. This event highlights the urgent need for better real‑time flood monitoring and adaptive trail management in the face of a changing climate.
