Flash floods strike Grand Canyon National Park

A severe flash flood struck the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States over the weekend of August 29-30, 2026, causing significant damage and rescue operations. Heavy rainfall triggered the disaster, primarily impacting the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas, where witnesses described scenes of panic as floodwaters rose rapidly.

According to the National Park Service and local reports, the situation remains fluid. While initial estimates suggested over 20 people might be missing, subsequent reports confirmed at least two fatalities and narrowed the count of missing individuals to 15. By Sunday morning, approximately 62 people had been successfully evacuated, with about 50 hikers airlifted from the danger zone to safety.

Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations to locate the missing persons and assess the full scale of the catastrophe. The park management has publicly requested information from the public regarding individuals who may still be unaccounted for following the event. Further evacuations remain planned as the situation continues to unfold in the affected regions.