Arizona National Guard rescues more than 100 from Grand Canyon National Park flash flooding
More than 100 tourists and Havasupai community tribal members were rescued by the Arizona National Guard using a Blackhawk helicopter after monsoon rains led to dangerous flash flooding for tourists visiting Havasupai Falls and those who live along Havasu Creek.
Arizona National Guard evacuates 100 people after flooding at Havasupai Falls
The Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs provided UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter support to evacuate 104 tourist and tribal members out of a canyon after flood waters impacted the Havasupai community and tourists visiting the Havasupai Falls. (U.S. Army video by Maj. Erin Hannigan)
HAVASUPAI, Ariz. – Heavy rain last week created a dangerous flooding situation along Havasu Creek in Arizona, stranding about 200 hikers inside Grand Canyon National Park and Havasupai Falls.
The Arizona Department of Emergency Management and Arizona National Guard members evacuated more than 100 people out of the canyon, including members of the Havasupai community and people visiting Havasupai Falls.
Video shared by the Arizona National Guard shows a Blackhawk helicopter supporting evacuations for 104 people.
Heavy rains trigger flash flooding in Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 22, 2024.
(Carley Vanderhorst Johnson/Facebook / FOX Weather)
The Havasupai Tribe Council said damage to the Supai Falls campground is "extensive," and the trails between the falls and the campground are unpassable. With damage assessments underway, the Havasupai area is closed to tourists until further notice.
HIKER SWEPT AWAY IN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK DURING FLASH FLOOD
Storm clouds pass over farmland as monsoon season storms persist on August 24, 2024 near Cortez, Colorado. A shift in wind direction from westerly to southerly typically triggers the American Southwest monsoon by mid-June and runs through September, bringing storms of often-spectacular cloudbursts that produce widespread flash floods and dangerous lightning. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the search continues for a 33-year-old hiker who was swept away by flash flooding in Grand Canyon National Park. Rangers with the National Park Service said Chenoa Nickerson was pulled into Havasu Creek about a half-mile from the Colorado River.
Officials with the National Weather Service said the area received between 1 and 2 inches of rain within 60-90 minutes.