Recent severe flooding in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, United States, has resulted in at least two deaths and one person still missing, with around 80 people rescued or evacuated.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the two bodies that have been found were identified as massage therapist John Giusti and 42-year-old martial arts studio owner Brent Rosenkranz, confirmed by a representative of the victims’ families, Hannah Barricks. The two men, along with 53-year-old pilot Timothy Smith from Wyoming, were friends who had traveled to the Grand Canyon together. Following the flooding, Giusti and Rosenkranz tragically lost their lives, while Smith remains missing as of Monday night.
Due to the rapid onset of the flooding, a large amount of rainwater and floodwaters rushed into the Bright Angel Creek area of the Grand Canyon, trapping visitors and hikers. Rescue teams sprung into action in adverse weather conditions and challenging terrain, utilizing tools such as night vision equipment to locate individuals in need of assistance. On the day of the incident, Saturday, August 29, a total of 45 people were rescued, with an additional 37 people evacuated on Sunday.
Park authorities are meticulously cross-referencing data from hiking permits and vehicle registrations to ensure all individuals who entered the affected area are properly accounted for, in order to determine if anyone else is missing. Incident commander Dave Black stated that apart from the ongoing search for Smith, no other missing persons have been identified by rescue teams at this time.