Rescuers save 80 people in Grand Canyon floods that leave two dead

Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. (AP) — The bodies of a Texas chiropractor and a lifelong martial artist have been found after a major flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon.

One person remained unaccounted for after about 80 others were rescued over the weekend, officials said last week.

A flash flood on Aug. 29 severely damaged the only water pipeline serving Grand Canyon National Park. Officials barred tourists from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park and issued emergency water restrictions for year-round residents.

Waves of torrential rain hit the Bright Angel Creek area of the tourist destination that hosts 4.4 million visitors a year.

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Grand Canyon Deputy Superintendent Brian Drapeaux said officials hadn’t fully surveyed the damage, but the park has said about 40% of the pipeline is damaged.

Incident Cmdr. Dave Black said searchers used night vision and other equipment to find people who needed rescuing during the deluge. By sunset that Saturday, 45 people were rescued, and 37 more were evacuated Sunday.

“As of right now, they have no reason to believe, from the tips we’ve been through so far, that there’s anybody besides the one” missing person, Black said during a news conference last week.