20 Missing In US Grand Canyon Flash Floods, Video Shows Massive Destruction - NDTV

**20 Missing In US Grand Canyon Flash Floods, Video Shows Massive Destruction – NDTV**

A sudden flash flood struck the remote reaches of Arizona’s Grand Canyon on the afternoon of 28 August, sweeping away a rustic bunkhouse and hurling boulders down the canyon floor. Footage released by local authorities shows torrents of water racing through narrow gorge walls, carrying debris that slammed into downstream trails and riverbanks. The surge, triggered by an unexpected monsoonal downpour, turned the usually tranquil section of the Colorado River into a roaring wall of water within minutes.

Rescue teams from the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and local emergency responders were dispatched immediately, but the rugged terrain and ongoing high water levels hampered early search efforts. Initial reports confirmed one fatality, and as of the latest briefings, at least 20 hikers and campers remain missing, with about 15 of them still unaccounted for after exhaustive aerial and ground sweeps. The missing individuals were part of several groups camped near the North Rim’s popular backcountry sites, where the flash flood’s force demolished the temporary shelter and scattered equipment across the canyon floor.

Authorities have urged anyone with information to contact the Grand Canyon Search and Rescue Coordination Center, emphasizing the difficulty of locating survivors in such a vast and treacherous environment. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued an extended flood advisory for the region, warning of possible additional runoff from lingering storm clouds. The incident has reignited calls for stricter safety protocols for backcountry hikers during the monsoon season, a period traditionally marked by sudden, intense rainfall in the Southwest United States.