The Grand Canyon National Park has closed overnight accommodation for tourists following severe flash flooding on Saturday.
Two people have died following “significant” flash flooding along Bright Angel Canyon that caused extensive damage to infrastructure on 29 August.
Although the park remains open for day use, all overnight guest lodging for the South Rim area is now closed “for the foreseeable future” as of 31 August.
Hotels operated by Xanterra, such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Phantom Ranch and Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village are included in the closures.
Flash flooding swept Bright Angel Canyon, a popular hiking trail, and Phantom Ranch areas of the park at around 2.30pm on Saturday.
More than 60 people were evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail.
The national park said it has introduced stage 4 water restrictions after flooding damaged the Transcanyon Waterline, leaving the park with limited water reserves.
Dry camping will be permitted in the area, with bathroom faucets operational at South Rim campgrounds and all fires prohibited.
The National Park Service (NPS) said: “These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources.
“We are asking residents and visitors to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate offices.”
The Colorado River is also currently closed to river traffic until further notice due to “metal structures and debris entering the river”.
NPS told visitors with upcoming river trips to contact their commercial outfitter or NPS River Permits for trip-specific information.
It added that additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are possible, which could result in “additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall and changing trail and river conditions”.
Read more: What drove the deadly Grand Canyon flooding?
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