A powerful flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon on Saturday, killing at least two people and leaving one person unaccounted for after roughly 80 visitors were rescued over the weekend, officials confirmed Monday.
Among the victims is John Giusti, a 53-year-old chiropractor from Texas. He had traveled to the canyon with two close friends, Brent Rosenkranz, 42, a martial arts studio owner, and Timothy Smith, 53, a Wyoming pilot. All three men had ties to Granbury, Texas, and had planned a multi-day fishing and hiking trip at the bottom of the canyon.
The three friends last contacted their families on Thursday and located their campsite on Friday. They have not been heard from since. Park officials recovered the body of a 46-year-old man Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River and were working to recover a second body.
Incident Commander Dave Black said rescuers used night vision equipment and other technology to locate stranded visitors during the storm. A total of 45 people were pulled to safety by sunset Saturday with 37 more evacuated on Sunday.
The flooding struck deep inside the canyon near the Colorado River around popular lodges and campgrounds used by hikers crossing between rims. Helicopters airlifted scores of visitors out of the area as rangers issued warnings about rockslides and rushing debris.
Hiker Daniel Evans described a harrowing 30-minute downpour Saturday afternoon that sent massive logs and debris rolling down the river. He said rangers initially told him conditions appeared safe before urgently ordering an evacuation as the rain intensified.
The disaster also dealt a severe blow to the canyon’s water infrastructure. The flood destroyed miles of the only pipeline supplying water to the canyon, according to Grand Canyon Deputy Superintendent Brian Drapeaux. A full damage assessment is not expected before Tuesday at the earliest.
Officials barred tourists from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park and imposed emergency water restrictions for the approximately 1,600 year-round residents. The pipeline had been undergoing a $208 million rehabilitation project that started in 2023 and was expected to be completed next year.
Scientists say this year’s monsoon season has been especially intense due to elevated atmospheric moisture linked to a strong El Nino pattern. A recent study found that short-term intense downpours across the western United States have grown roughly 10 percent stronger since 2000. The steep terrain of the Grand Canyon accelerates floodwaters dramatically, turning ordinary summer storms into life-threatening walls of water.
