Hikers describe flash flood in Grand Canyon that left 2 dead, 1 still missing
A sudden flash flood in the Grand Canyon killed two people, left dozens missing before they were rescued, and caused significant damage to campsites and trails.
A sudden flash flood in the Grand Canyon on Saturday killed two people, left dozens missing before they were rescued, and caused extensive damage to campsites, trails and infrastructure.
The flood, caused by a monsoon storm, swept through Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch, destroying bridges, campsites and buildings. Officials confirmed the body of a 46-year-old man was recovered from the Colorado River on Saturday night.
What we know about the victims
Officials identified two of the victims as Dr. John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz, whose bodies have been revocered. One of their friends, Timothy Allen Smith, remains missing.
The three friends, all from Granbury, Texas, had been excited to take this vacation trip together to the Grand Canyon.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities work to locate Smith.
The three men are believed to be hikers and backpackers who were on trails when the flood hit.
Witnesses describe the scene
“This one was black water, turbulent water, moving very quickly,” hiker David Gregory said. “It sounded like little thunder as they were kind of crashing onto each other.”
Gregory and his friend’s family were ordered to evacuate and run across a footbridge to higher ground.
“If they hadn’t told us to evacuate when they did, I don’t think it would have been a way. A lot of people wouldn’t have made it,” hiker Gabe Bergemann said.
Just 10 minutes after the evacuation, the footbridge was gone. Campers described watching a wall of water tear through Phantom Ranch, sweeping away boulders, an excavator and even entire buildings.
“There was a fridge. We even saw the scariest thing was there was like a cabin that washed down the river, and we could like see the roof of the cabin and the bed from the cabin that was in the river,” Bergemann said.
More than 60 people were airlifted out of the area by helicopter.
“Ranger Kate, God bless her. She’s the one that orchestrated all this and saved everybody,” camper Scott Svedin said. “It would have been, wiped out all of us.”
The disaster also knocked out the park’s only water pipeline, which serves tourists and residents, forcing lodges and hotels to close to overnight visitors.
