Rescuers Saved Some 80 People In Grand Canyon Floods That Left 2 Dead And 1 Missing, Officials Say

A flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon over the weekend, killing at least two people and leaving one hiker unaccounted for after roughly 80 visitors were rescued by helicopter and on foot. The deluge severely damaged the park's only water pipeline, prompting officials to bar tourists from lodges and impose emergency water restrictions on year-round residents.

Rescuers used night vision equipment to pull 45 people out by Saturday sunset and another 37 on Sunday, cross-referencing permits and license plates to track who remained missing. Three friends — a Texas chiropractor, a martial arts studio owner, and a Wyoming pilot — had set out days earlier for a planned fishing and hiking trip and have not been heard from since Friday.

Officials said a full damage assessment of the pipeline won't be ready before Tuesday at the earliest, while survivors described a sudden, terrifying rise in water and debris pouring down the river as rangers scrambled to clear the area.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.