Over 100 Rescued in Grand Canyon Flood; Woman Still Missing After Incident

As search efforts continue for a 33-year-old woman missing after being swept away by flash flooding in the Grand Canyon, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has activated the National Guard to assist in the emergency rescue operations.

Chenoa Nickerson, a resident of Gilbert, Arizona, has not been seen since Thursday afternoon when heavy rainfall triggered a flash flood that carried her into Havasu Creek, situated approximately a half-mile from where the creek merges with the Colorado River, as reported by the National Park Service. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a life jacket.

The focus of the search for Nickerson, who is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing around 190 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes, is primarily in the Beaver Falls area within the Grand Canyon. Rescue teams are engaged in ground, air, and water searches. The last known outfit she wore comprised a black tank top, black shorts, and blue hiking boots.

Nickerson had set up camp near the village of Supai, located at the base of the Grand Canyon, when she went hiking during the torrential rains. Her family expressed their dedication to finding her, stating, “We love her very much and are not giving up on her.”

The National Weather Service indicated that the area experienced between one to two inches of rainfall in a mere 60 to 90 minutes, leading to widespread flooding that trapped other campers and hikers. In addition to the search for Nickerson, emergency officials have conducted rescues for additional residents located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation region following the severe weather.

The Havasupai Tribal Council stated that the storm rendered all trails leading into and out of Supai impassable. This area is popular for its stunning blue-green waterfalls, including the famed Havasu Falls, which features a striking 100-foot drop.

Due to the flooding, the Tribal Council reported significant damage to a nearby campground, which necessitated its evacuation and closure. Their statement emphasized a commitment to the health and safety of tribal members and those providing services within the community.

Governor Hobbs’s decision to activate the National Guard came on Friday evening, aiming to bolster the rescue efforts. In a public statement, she expressed her empathy for those affected by the flooding, saying, “My heart is with all of the people impacted by the flooding in Havasupai, including tribal members and visitors to the area. I am closely monitoring the situation and we have deployed the Arizona National Guard to get people to safety.”

By Saturday afternoon, National Guard officials reported they had evacuated 104 tourists and residents from the Havasupai Indian Reservation using helicopters to lift individuals from flooded areas.

Among those impacted was Supai resident Rochelle Tilousi, who recounted her harrowing experience of being separated from her children by the rushing floodwaters. “We could see the children running trying to beat the flood, but they couldn’t,” she shared, expressing relief that the children survived and are now safe, although her family’s pets were lost in the flood. “There is part of our village that is still flooded,” Tilousi noted on Saturday.