GRAND CANYON, AZ – Helicopters and rescue crews are back into the Grand Canyon after an earthen dam burst Sunday morning, stranding residents and tourists.
Drusilla Clark with the Hualapai Nation said Monday that helicopters from the Department of Public Safety and Air National Guard were scheduled to start flying into the Grand Canyon at about 8:30 a.m. to air-lift 75 residents and tourists who spent the night there.
Rescue crews from the Hualapai Nation and Coconino and Mohave Counties said they will search for others possibly stranded by the flooding. Clark said there is no word or proof yet of missing residents or tourists.
Helicopter evacuations were performed all day Sunday at the Grand Canyon and Supai, a village where about 400 members of the Havasupai tribe live.
On Sunday, the Guard, the National Park Service and the Department of Public safety airlifted about 170 residents, campers and river runners.
According to a spokesperson for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, the Redlands Dam in the Grand Canyon broke at about 6 a.m. Sunday.
Rain on Friday and Saturday night brought significant flooding to the area.
Officials said water from the dam quickly flowed downstream into Cataract Canyon and subsequently Supai Canyon.
As much as 8 inches of rain since Friday caused trouble even before the dam was breached.
*SNIP*
http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=136d63b7-bfaa-4d77-80ab-06c0f575b557&rss=704
Author