A flash flood in northern Arizona on Aug. 29 sparked helicopter rescues at the Grand Canyon.
Read more Sacramento hot chicken restaurant closes in downtown after one year
The flood hit the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area. At least 62 people were evacuated by helicopter, the park service said. About 15 people remained unaccounted for on Aug. 30.
U.S. Rep. David Schweikert was rafting the Colorado River with friends when the flash flood came through. He described hearing a distant roar that began echoing through the Grand Canyon. “It sounded like a handful of locomotives coming through and smashing boulders,” Schweikert said.
Read more Capital Dance Project combines dancers, visual artists for unique midtown festival
David Gregory watched a creek beside his Phantom Ranch cabin turn black and fill with fast-moving debris before a park ranger ordered him and other visitors out. They shared videos from their experiences. He and his group crossed a small bridge during the evacuation that workers later told him had been washed away, then escaped the canyon aboard a helicopter.
Gregory and Schweikert shared video of their experiences.
Watch video of the flooding in the Colorado River
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Watch eyewitness video of Grand Canyon flash flooding
Read more California Legislature passes fireworks reforms after deadly Esparto explosion
Reporting by Arizona Republic / Arizona Republic
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published August 30, 2026 at 6:49 PM.
