Two people have died and about 15 others were believed missing or unaccounted for Monday after powerful flash floods tore through a popular section of Grand Canyon National Park, washing away bridges, damaging critical infrastructure and triggering an ongoing search-and-recovery operation.
The National Park Service said Monday that two bodies had been recovered. One was a 46-year-old man found near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River on Sunday evening. Authorities have not publicly released additional information about either victim.
The flooding struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area Saturday afternoon after intense monsoonal storms dumped roughly a half-inch to an inch of rain in about 30 minutes, according to park officials.
The rapidly rising water swept boulders, debris and damaged structures through Bright Angel Creek and into the Colorado River, cutting off access to some of the park’s most heavily traveled backcountry destinations.
Search teams from the National Park Service and Arizona Department of Public Safety continued working Monday to locate and account for people who may have been in the flood zone when the storm hit.
Officials have asked anyone with information about hikers, backpackers or campers who were in Bright Angel Canyon, Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail corridor or an area known as “the Box” to contact investigators.
The disaster has also disrupted operations across one of the nation’s most visited national parks.
At least 62 people were evacuated from the inner canyon after floodwaters caused extensive damage to trails, campgrounds and facilities. Nearly all footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating pedestrian access across the waterway, according to the National Park Service.
Preliminary assessments indicate approximately 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, the system that supplies water throughout much of the park, was damaged or destroyed, park officials said Monday. The failure of the waterline prompted the park to impose Stage 4 water restrictions and close overnight lodging facilities.
The closures include El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Phantom Ranch, Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. Day-use visits remain allowed, but park officials are urging visitors and residents to conserve water while crews assess and repair damage.
Phantom Ranch, the historic lodge near the bottom of the canyon, remainws closed indefinitely as of Monday, along with Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and the entire North Kaibab Trail corridor from the trailhead to Phantom Ranch. River traffic in the affected area also has been halted because of flood-related hazards.
Visitors who escaped the flooding described a fast-moving and chaotic scene.
Meteorologists said several earlier rounds of rain had already saturated drainage channels before a final, more intense storm cell unleashed the flood. The Grand Canyon’s steep terrain allowed much of the rainfall to run off almost immediately, rapidly funneling water into creeks and narrow canyon passages.
Officials warned that additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall remained possible through Monday, increasing the risk of renewed flash flooding, debris flows and rockfalls in already damaged sections of the canyon.
The Grand Canyon attracted more than 4.4 million recreational visits in 2025, making it one of the most visited national parks in the United States. The scope of the infrastructure damage and the timeline for reopening affected areas remain unclear.
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This article originally published at Death toll climbs in Grand Canyon flood as crews search for 15 people.
