At least one person has died and about 15 others are missing or unaccounted for following a powerful flash flood at the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States.
The National Park Service said the flooding struck the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas on Saturday afternoon, forcing at least 62 people to evacuate. The flood carried large boulders, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River.
Authorities recovered the body of a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River on Sunday evening. Officials have not released further details about the victim.
The flash flood also destroyed footbridges over Bright Angel Creek and damaged the only water pipeline serving residents and visitors in the affected area.
The National Park Service has appealed to the public for information that could help locate approximately 15 people who remain missing or unaccounted for following the flooding.
Several popular tourist destinations, including Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and sections of the North Kaibab Trail, remained closed as officials assessed the damage. Rafting activities on the Colorado River have also been suspended.
A hiker, Parth Desai, said he was passing through Bright Angel Canyon with a group of doctors and a park ranger when heavy rain suddenly began.
He described seeing the creek rapidly rise, waterfalls forming unexpectedly, and boulders, mud and landslides moving through the area.
The National Park Service said it was coordinating with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and had planned additional evacuations as authorities continued responding to the disaster.
Because the main water pipeline was damaged, overnight stays at lodges and hotels inside the Grand Canyon National Park were suspended from Monday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Darren McCollum said between half an inch and one inch of rain fell in roughly 20 minutes over the rocky terrain. He said the heavy rainfall followed two earlier weather systems that had already saturated the ground.
More rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the area, raising concerns about additional flooding as emergency teams continued search and recovery operations.
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