Arizona Congressman recounts surviving Grand Canyon flash flood that killed two visitors

Rep. David Schweikert, a Republican from Arizona, said he heard a sound he likened to “a freight train smashing into a boulder” as a flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon on Saturday. He told NBC News from his Washington office that the roar was followed by a torrent of mud-laden water that turned Bright Angel Creek into a raging river.

The sudden deluge, triggered by a brief but intense rainstorm, resulted in two deaths and a third person still missing. Roughly 80 visitors were evacuated from campsites near the historic Phantom Ranch. Schweikert’s party, about 100 yards from the flood’s path and without cell service, was guided to higher ground away from the Colorado River and spent the night camping nearby.

“At some point, you realized this is a big deal; something’s really gone haywire. … It was a ginormous flash flood,” Schweikert said.

He noted that while monsoon season brings frequent storms, the area where his group was located experienced only a light drizzle, highlighting the unpredictable nature of canyon floods. The flood also damaged the park’s water supply system and a portion of a $208 million water-pipeline project under construction near the ranch.

“Right now, the heartbreak is a couple of people lost their lives,” Schweikert added, saying he expects to be involved in remediation efforts once assessments are complete.

The congressman urged visitors to monitor weather conditions closely and avoid slot-canyon hikes when storms are forecast nearby, warning that the canyon’s beauty can quickly become dangerous if hikers are unprepared.