The flood marks one of the deadliest weather-related disasters at a national park in recent history, park service officials said. The first body was found near the mouth of the canyon Tuesday afternoon, and a private canyoneering group came across the second an hour later. Though the canyon was still inaccessible, teams started following its course and started calling down to the missing hikers with no answer. With darkness falling and the canyon already filling with floodwaters, they decided it wasn't safe to send in rescue crews. Rangers who were also dealing with small landslides and other effects of the storm found the group's cars, but did not see any sign of them. Monday, right after a fierce storm that dumped more than a half-inch of rain in less than an hour. All were in their 40s and 50s.Īnother hiker who had seen the group reported them overdue about 5:30 p.m. Six of the hikers were from California and one from Nevada. 'It is not possible to contact everyone.' 'Ninety percent of Zion is wilderness,' Picard said. By that time, park officials say there was no way to reach them in time to alert them to the violent floodwaters coming their way. Zion officials said the group got a permit to hike Keyhole Canyon early that morning - hours before a flash flood warning prompted park officials to close the canyons. One is still missing.Ī sudden deluge of rain fueled the flood Monday evening, which 'went from a trickle to a wall' of water, park ranger Therese Picard said. That decision proved deadly for one group of hikers who got trapped by floodwaters in a popular 'slot' canyon as narrow as a window in some spots and several hundred feet deep. (Scott G Winterton/The Deseret News via AP) SALT LAKE TRIBUNE OUT MAGS OUT NO SALES MANDATORY CREDIT ORG XMIT: UTSAL105 Scott G Winterton Show More Show Less Multiple hikers who entered a narrow desert canyon for a day of canyoneering became trapped when a flash flood filled the chasm with water, killing several of them in Zion National Park in southern Utah, officials said Wednesday. (Scott G Winterton/The Deseret News via AP) SALT LAKE TRIBUNE OUT MAGS OUT NO SALES MANDATORY CREDIT ORG XMIT: UTSAL104 Scott G Winterton Show More Show Less 2 of14 In this aerial photo community members visit the spot of the wrecked vehicles after a flash flood in Zion National Park, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 1 of14 In this aerial photo searchers continue looking for 6-year-old Tyson Lucas Black in Zion National Park, Utah, Wednesday, Sept.

Zion national park flash flood today