A major search and rescue operation is underway in the Grand Canyon, in the western United States, following the sudden and severe flash flood that struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Saturday, August 29. More than 20 people are still considered missing or unaccounted for, while at least 62 have already been evacuated from the affected area.

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has appealed to the public for information regarding more than 20 people who may be missing following the sudden flash flood.

Staff at Grand Canyon National Park, in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, are continuing evacuation efforts and trying to determine who was in the area when the storm struck.

Authorities are specifically seeking information about hikers and campers who were inside the canyon and along Bright Angel Creek on August 29, as well as for those who had reservations at campgrounds in the affected area.

Areas at the center of the search include the North Kaibab Trail from its trailhead to Phantom Ranch, the Bright Angel Campground, and the area known as “the Box,” north of Phantom Ranch.

At least 20 people unaccounted for after flash flooding at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona – officials pic.twitter.com/he0VNiRsLd

— BNO News (@BNONews) August 30, 2026

At least 62 people were evacuated

By Sunday, at least 62 people had been evacuated from the affected areas, according to park officials.

Additional evacuation operations were planned at Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch, involving park staff and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

As of Sunday afternoon, no injuries had been reported.

The NPS has asked anyone who knows of hikers or campers who may have been in the affected area to contact the appropriate investigative agency.

“The creek was black with debris”

David Gregory, who was at the Grand Canyon with a small group of hikers, described to CNN the moment they realized the severity of the situation.

“We realized that the creek near the campsite was black with debris and flowing at high speed,” he said.

He and his group were evacuated by helicopter and initially taken to a local high school before being provided with hotel accommodations for the night.

VIDEO: Hikers evacuated by helicopter during significant flash flooding in Grand Canyon National Park; at least 20 people may be missing or unaccounted for, the NPS says. pic.twitter.com/aKNfIGsOKc

— Noteworthy News (@newsnoteworthy) August 30, 2026

Nearly all footbridges were destroyed

The flood caused extensive damage to infrastructure throughout the Bright Angel Canyon area.

“Nearly all of the footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, preventing hikers from crossing to the opposite bank,” the National Park Service reported.

The raging waters also widened the creek bed, creating, according to the Associated Press, a section that resembled a new, swift-flowing stretch of river.

The Bright Angel Trail is, according to the NPS, the most popular hiking trail leading into the Grand Canyon.

Fears of New Flash Floods

The Grand Canyon was hit on Saturday by successive thunderstorms, which began early in the morning and returned in the evening. Within a 24-hour period, approximately one inch of rain—or about 25 millimeters—was recorded.

On Sunday, rainfall was mainly confined to the northern side of the canyon, where rainfall rates of up to one inch per hour were recorded in some areas.

New storms were likely to develop overnight into Monday, increasing the risk of further flash floods.

Forest rangers also warned that additional rainfall could trigger new debris flows, rockfalls, and ongoing changes in trail and river conditions.

Source: Proto Thema