Grand Canyon flash flood leaves 2 dead, others missing

Amna Nawaz:

In the day's other headlines: Search-and-rescue teams have found two bodies so far following this weekend's flash floods in the Grand Canyon. The National Park Service says that one of the dead appears to be a 46-year-old man, but provided no other details. More than a dozen other people remain missing.

Lodges and hotels are closed inside the park and more rain and flooding are possible.

Ali Rogin has the latest.

Ali Rogin:

A summer vacation turned into an emergency after storms rolled through the Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon. The rain rattled campsites and filled the banks of Bright Angel Creek. The National Weather Service said 1.24 inches of rain fell in a three-hour period.

Experts say the current El Nino warming waters in the Pacific may have worsened the rainfall by loading the atmosphere with moisture. El Nino systems also seem to be intensifying in part due to climate change.

Woman:

How are you doing there?

Ali Rogin:

More than 60 people were evacuated by helicopter.

Scott Svedin, Grand Canyon Evacuee:

This was something out of a movie.

Ali Rogin:

Scott Svedin and Erica Viola say they were lucky to make it to higher ground before the floodwaters rushed in.

Erica Viola, Grand Canyon Evacuee:

We just heard people yell, "Run, run," and there's 40 of us running through this knee-deep muddy water trying to make it to the bridge. That's when this 15-foot wall of water came through the campground and just wiped out all the bridges.

Ali Rogin:

The National Park Service says this area averages less than 10 inches of rain per year, but Arizona's monsoon season brings the risk of flash floods.

David Gregory, Grand Canyon Evacuee:

The water level in the creek just seemed to be getting bigger and bigger as more water was coming into the creek. If somebody fell into the creek, I don't know how they would be able to get out.

Ali Rogin:

David Gregory was backpacking in the canyon before the flooding hit. He captured this video as he was airlifted to safety. The Grand Canyon is now under emergency water restrictions. The National Park Service says that about 40 percent of the pipeline that provides water to tourists and residents was damaged or destroyed.

A $208 million project to rehabilitate and upgrade the system was under way and hoped to be completed next year. As search-and-rescue efforts continue, more rain is expected throughout the day.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Ali Rogin.