Hikers feared missing after flash flooding hits Grand Canyon

What the report says

More than 20 hikers are thought to be missing or unaccounted for after flash flooding hit parts of the Grand Canyon on Saturday, according to BBC World News. The flooding affected the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area around 14:30 local time, the National Park Service said. Phantom Ranch is in a remote section of the park that can be reached only on foot, by mule or by rafting the Colorado River, which can complicate access during emergencies.

The park service said 62 people had already been airlifted out, with more evacuations expected. No injuries have been reported so far. Officials also said the flooding caused significant damage in some areas and led to trail closures. They warned that more thunderstorms and heavy rain were forecast for Sunday and Monday, raising the risk of additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall and changing trail and river conditions.

The BBC reported that the park service asked anyone who knew of hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday to make contact. The incident comes at one of the busiest times of year for the Grand Canyon, a major US national park that attracts millions of visitors annually. The developing situation underscores the danger of sudden flooding in canyon terrain, especially for hikers in low-lying or hard-to-reach areas.