The U.S. National Park Administration said on the 30th that more than 20 people have been listed as likely to be out of contact or missing due to a sudden flood in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on the 29th.
The National Park Administration said in a statement that as of the morning of the 30th, 62 people had been evacuated from the flood-affected area, and that more people would be evacuated later. The statement called for the public to provide information about hikers or scheduled camping staff who may be in the affected areas. Grand Canyon National Park staff are coordinating with Arizona local authorities to continue evacuation and emergency rescue work.
It has been reported that the flood caused serious damage to infrastructure in parts of the park, including the Light Angel Gorge, and staff are continuing to assess the damage situation. Parts of the park have been closed.
National Weather Service experts told the media that the area was steep and rocky, with short-term heavy rainfall rapidly forming surface runoff. The National Park Service warned that thunderstorms and heavy rainfall could still occur in the area in the near future, or lead to flooding, mudslides and rock falls.
The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the United States. Official figures show that the park attracted more than 4.43 million visitors last year.