US authorities confirmed they will deploy a Border Patrol technical search team at the Grand Canyon in Arizona to locate a person still missing following a flash flood that occurred Saturday at Bright Angel Creek, a waterway that flows into the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch. The emergency left two dead and forced the rescue of nearly 80 people.
Rescue teams used night vision and other devices to locate people who were trapped during the surge. Authorities reviewed park entry permits and vehicle registration plates to establish how many people could be missing.
Incident commander Dave Black stated that, so far, the available leads do not suggest anyone beyond the one person who remains missing. "At this point, based on the leads we've received, they don't have reason to believe there's anyone else apart from the missing person," Black said during a press conference, according to The Guardian.
The victims were identified as John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42. Both were friends and were hiking together at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Giusti was a chiropractor, while Rosenkranz owned a martial arts studio. A third member of the group, pilot Timothy Smith, 53, remains missing. The three had camped since Friday at the bottom of the canyon, according to The Guardian.
Hiker Daniel Evans recounted that before the most intense storm there were several episodes of rain. Park rangers initially considered the location safe, but when the heaviest downpour began, they instructed visitors to leave the area.
Authorities face a new risk. Forecasts anticipate further torrential rains and thunderstorms, with chances of new flash floods, rockfalls and landslides. Flash floods are frequent at the Grand Canyon during monsoon season, as the combination of arid terrain and heavy precipitation can turn an intense storm into a dangerous water current within the canyon, according to The Guardian.
The phenomenon caused significant damage to infrastructure. The pipeline supplying water to visitors and around 1,600 people in Grand Canyon Village suffered severe damage, with assessments indicating that approximately 40 per cent was damaged or destroyed. The storm also affected an area hit by the Dragon Bravo wildfire, which in 2025 swept through nearly 150,000 acres and destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
Hydroclimatologist A. Park Williams explained that this year's monsoon shows particular intensity due to greater amounts of water vapour in the atmosphere. According to the specialist, the El Niño phenomenon contributes to this scenario and could become one of the most intense on record.
