ABC News: Top Stories
· collected 2026-08-31 · by Tristan Maglunog, Bill Hutchinson
A significant flash flood swept through campgrounds and hiking trails at the bottom of the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Saturday, resulting in one death and at least 14 people being missing or unaccounted for. Air evacuations continued on Sunday afternoon with over 20 initially reported missing and 62 individuals air evacuated from the affected areas. The flash flooding also knocked out the park's water pipeline, prompting conservation measures to be implemented, including restrictions on overnight hotel stays and limited access to campground bathrooms. Authorities are warning of possible additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in the area which could result in further flash flooding and infrastructure damage.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-31,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Urgent search for missing people underway in Grand Canyon after deadly flash flooding
Air evacuations continued at the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Sunday afternoon.
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evacuations → miss → afternoon
One person died and at least 14 others "may be missing or unaccounted" for at the Grand Canyon in Arizona after dangerous flash flooding over the weekend, according to officials.
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others → die → officials
Air evacuations continued on Sunday afternoon, a day after a "significant flash flood" swept through campgrounds and hiking trails at the bottom of the national park, authorities said.
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authorities → continue → park
The Grand Canyon National Park Service said in an update Sunday evening that one person was recovered from the river in the park.
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person → say → park
The identity of the deceased individual has not been released.
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identity → release → individual
NPS said there are at least 14 other individuals "who may be missing or unaccounted" following Saturday's flash flood.
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who → say → flood
"The National Park Service is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29, as well as anyone who had a campground reservation in the affected corridor, to provide information to the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB)," the statement said.
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statement → ask → Branch
Earlier Sunday, the National Park Service (NPS) officials said more than 20 were missing and 62 individuals were air evacuated from Grand Canyon's Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, "which was affected by a significant flash-flood event Saturday afternoon."
Evacuees were being taken to the Maswik Lodge Cafeteria on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, where the American Red Cross is coordinating assistance.
No injuries were immediately reported.
The latest National Park Service said the flash flooding knocked out the park's water pipeline, prompting "significant water conservation measures" to be implemented.
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flooding → say → measures
Those measures include: no overnight hotel stays allowed starting Monday, and only campground bathroom faucets will still run.
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faucets → include → stays
"Multiple campgrounds and trails are closed until further notice, and there is no estimated reopening date for the affected areas," the Grand Canyon NPS said.
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NPS → close → areas
Grand Canyon National Park staff, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, were continuing air evacuations on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
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officials → continue → afternoon
"Grand Canyon will possibly face additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall today and Monday, which could result in flash flooding, debris flow, and rockfall," the Grand Canyon NPS statement said.
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statement → face → flooding
Flash flooding unfolded about 2:30 p.m. local time on Saturday in the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area, both popular destinations for hikers.
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flooding → unfold → hikers
"The flash flood resulted in significant impacts to infrastructure throughout Bright Angel Canyon.
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flood → result → Canyon
Nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating hiker access across the creek," the Grand Canyon NPS said.
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NPS → span → creek
Videos of the flooding obtained by ABC News show a roaring Colorado River as mudflows and debris from metal structures are seen floating down the river.
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mudflows → obtain → river
Erica Viola, who recorded the videos, told ABC News she was camping at Bright Angel Campground when she and her husband, Scott Svedin, had to evacuate.
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she → record → Campground
Viola said that she lost most of her belongings in the flooding.
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she → say → flooding
Viola said that she and other campers were told by park rangers to run as fast as they could to the nearest bridge for evacuation.
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they → say → evacuation
Svedin said that as they were headed for the bridge, people were scrambling to beat the rising water.
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people → say → water
"We just heard people yell, 'Run, run, run!'
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people → hear → ?
And there's 40 of us running through this deep, muddy water, trying to make it to the bridge," Viola said.
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Viola → be → bridge
"Once we got to the bridge, that's when this 15-foot wall of water came through the campground in Phantom Ranch and just wiped out all the bridges in the creek."
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wall → get → creek
Viola and Svedin said they witnessed bunkhouses, barbecue grills, ice chests, and even an excavator floating down the Colorado River.
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bunkhouses → say → River
ABC News' Jennifer Watts and Lissette Rodriguez contributed to this report.
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Watts → contribute → report
