A desperate search is continuing inside Grand Canyon National Park after a powerful flash flood killed at least two people, left more than a dozen others missing and caused devastating damage to some of the park’s most important infrastructure.
The disaster struck Saturday afternoon in Bright Angel Canyon and around Phantom Ranch, an area deep inside the canyon used by hikers, campers and visitors traveling between the North and South rims.
Heavy rain sent water, debris and logs surging through the canyon.
By Monday, authorities had recovered at least two bodies while search teams continued looking for missing hikers.
One of the victims was identified by his family as 53-year-old Texas chiropractor John Giusti.
Giusti had entered the canyon with two friends for a multi-day hiking, fishing and camping trip.
His companions, 42-year-old Brent Rosenkranz and 53-year-old Timothy Smith, remained missing Monday.
Their families said the three men had planned several days of exploring the canyon together.
The group had not been heard from since Friday.
They are among more than a dozen people authorities are attempting to locate.
The scale and remoteness of the search are making the operation especially difficult.
Much of the affected area is located far below the canyon rim and can be reached only by trail or helicopter.
Scores of visitors have already been evacuated by air.
The National Park Service said 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning, with additional evacuations scheduled afterward.
Witnesses described an overwhelming surge of water carrying massive piles of debris through areas normally used by hikers.
The flooding also delivered a major blow to the park’s infrastructure.
The Transcanyon Waterline — the critical pipeline supplying water to facilities on the South Rim — suffered extensive damage.
Officials estimate that roughly 40% of the 12.5-mile pipeline was damaged or destroyed.
That has forced Grand Canyon National Park to impose severe water restrictions.
Beginning Monday, overnight hotel accommodations inside the park were closed as officials attempted to conserve limited stored water.
Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab Trail also remain closed.
The pipeline was already undergoing an approximately $200 million rehabilitation after decades of leaks and repeated failures.
Saturday’s flood has now created another major obstacle for that project.
Weather remains an immediate concern.
The Grand Canyon is in the middle of Arizona’s summer monsoon season, when seemingly clear conditions can rapidly turn into severe thunderstorms.
Forecasters warned that additional flash flooding remains possible.
The danger may be amplified in areas affected by previous wildfires.
Burned landscapes absorb less water, allowing rainfall to rush more rapidly downhill and increasing the potential for sudden flooding.
For search crews and families waiting for information, however, the immediate focus remains on finding the missing.
Authorities have asked anyone who was inside the park during the flooding and has since reached safety to contact officials so their name can be removed from missing-person lists.
Grand Canyon National Park receives millions of visitors each year, but the latest disaster is another reminder that its dramatic landscape can become dangerous with extraordinary speed.
The search is now entering a critical period as crews race against difficult terrain and the threat of additional storms.
What Happens Next
Search-and-recovery operations will continue while officials assess the damage to trails, bridges and the Transcanyon Waterline. Additional closures are possible if severe weather continues.
