World · Grand Canyon flash floodGrand Canyon Flash Flood Kills 2, 80+ Rescued as Crews Hunt for Last HikerAired September 4, 2026 at 4:24 AM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00A 15-foot wall of water tore through the canyon.0:02Two hikers are dead, one is still missing, and more than 80 people have been pulled0:06from the inner canyon.0:08Can search teams reach the last missing hiker before the next storm hits the same0:11burned ground?0:12More than 20 hikers were first listed as unaccounted for after the flooding.0:16More than 80 people have since been brought out alive.0:19Teams are still working steep drainages with drones and Bluetooth scanners that can0:23pick up phones and wearable devices buried in debris and along flooded channels.0:27The water rose in Bright Angel Canyon, around Bright Angel Creek near Phantom Ranch,0:32draining toward the Colorado River.0:34Four rounds of weekend rain fell with intensity reaching one inch in 30 minutes.0:38Rangers sent hikers to evacuate across a footbridge over Bright Angel Creek.0:42Survivors crossed just before the bridge was torn away at around 2.30 in the0:46afternoon local time.0:47Trails and footbridges were destroyed, cutting escape routes and leaving dozens0:52stranded where water can rise in minutes in steep, narrow rock.0:56The two men found dead are John Gusti, 46, and Brent Rosencrans, 42, both of1:01Granbury, Texas.1:02Both bodies were recovered and identified September 1st.1:05The name first went out as John Gusty.1:07The identification list spells at Justie, a correction that matters for families,1:11records, and notifications.1:12The missing hiker is Tim Smith, a friend hiking with the two Texas men.1:16One description calls him a 53-year-old Wyoming pilot.1:19That Wyoming connection is unsupported in other information.1:23Early counts varied as high as 15 missing.1:25The current count stands at 1.1:27The ground was already vulnerable.1:29The Dragon Bravo fire started July 4th, 2025, and burned 149,399 acres1:35across the park and adjacent Kaibab National Forest, including 71,129 acres inside1:41the park.1:42The burn mapped as 68% low severity, 24% moderate, and 1% high.1:47Modeling showed runoff up 2-8 times upstream of Phantom Creek and 1-2 times1:52downstream to the Colorado River.1:53An August 2025 federal emergency summary said runoff and debris flow risks were1:58unlikely to significantly impact values at risk under normal storms.2:01while infrastructure loss was severe.2:03The fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge Historic District and 106 of 2292:07structures and damaged about 73 miles of trail.2:10Emergency stabilization and selective demolition began in September 2025, leaving2:15about 15% of the lodge complex stabilized against freeze-thaw collapse.2:19A river flood risk gauge installed after the fire showed water rising Saturday then2:24went offline during the rise.2:25Why it failed at the moment it was most needed is unresolved.2:28Pipeline damage to the Trans Canyon waterline is confirmed with stage 4 water2:32restrictions in place, but the specific extent is not available.2:36Day hikers without permits leave no record, with no firm number for how many more2:40could be in the backcountry.2:41The full extent of destroyed trails and footbridges and which areas remain cut off2:45has not been mapped.2:46The tip line 888-653-0009 remains open.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗