Grand Canyon flash flood kills two; 15 missing

Officials on Monday recovered a second body in Grand Canyon National Park after a powerful flash flood swept through the park on Saturday. The news came after officials on Sunday recovered the remains of a 46-year-old man in the park’s Crystal Rapids area. Roughly 15 others were missing, officials said. The affected area, including Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch, contains popular hiking trails and campgrounds.

The flash flood began on Saturday afternoon after heavy rainfall. The park service and Arizona state responders safely evacuated more than 60 people, none of whom appeared to have injuries, the park service said. The torrent knocked out the main water line to the park, destroyed most of the footbridges in Bright Angel Canyon, and damaged other park infrastructure.

The National Park Service closed the Colorado River to traffic, such as rafting parties, due to debris and pieces of metal structures in the water. Rangers on Sunday were assisting some parties who were already in the canyon, according to the park service. The park also closed all overnight accommodations on-site due to the broken waterline.

Dig deeper: Read Micah Barkley’s report on the number of missing people after recent floods in Nepal.