Tourist's body found after Grand Canyon flash flood tragedy
Near the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the body of a tourist swept away by a swollen tributary of the Colorado River has been found. Missing for three days, Chenoa Nickerson, a 33-year-old resident of Phoenix, was discovered dead about 32 kilometres from the spot where a powerful flash flood occurred.
The body was found by participants of an expedition on the Colorado River on Sunday around 2:30 PM Eastern Time. Chenoa Nickerson is the only fatality caused by the rain-induced flood, which struck the Grand Canyon in the state of Arizona on Thursday.
Nickerson was without a life jacket when she was swept away by the waters of Havasu Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River. Search efforts involved helicopters from the U.S. Army, ground units, and boats. Over a hundred people were rescued.
The search focused on the area where Havasu Creek flows into the Colorado River and territories belonging to the Havasupai tribe, who also requested assistance due to the flood. UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were among those used for the evacuation effort.
Tragic end to the grand canyon expedition
Chenoa Nickerson had camped near the small village of Supai in the Havasupai Reservation, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The swollen stream waters swept her away while she was walking along it.
As reported by the Havasupai tribal council on Sunday, all hiking trails leading to Supai became impassable. It is a very popular tourist area. There are famous waterfalls, including the 30-metre-tall Havasu Falls.
This is why during the flash flood, many tourists were present and found no escape from the rapidly rising water streams.
This tragedy is a reminder of the power and destructive impact of weather phenomena like flash floods. When embarking on trips to areas such as the Grand Canyon, one should exercise great caution.
