Grand Canyon Flash Flood: Airlifted Hiker Recalls 'Train-Like' Rumble

A hiker who was airlifted from the Grand Canyon after a devastating flash flood has described the terrifying moment the water arrived, saying it sounded "like a train" approaching.

Dan Evans was resting in the shade near Bright Angel Creek on Saturday when he heard an unusual rumbling. "It sounded like a train which is unusual for the canyon, you know it's pretty quiet down there generally," he recounted. The sound grew closer, and he soon saw the creek transform into a torrent of mud and debris.

"The water was completely brown, it had risen probably a couple feet already," Evans said. Despite the alarming sight, the weather remained clear, and a ranger initially suggested the water might recede without requiring evacuations.

However, the situation worsened, and hiking out was deemed too dangerous. Evans and others were eventually airlifted to safety by helicopter around 6 p.m. He described the rescue as a dramatic scene, with the helicopter landing on a makeshift helipad and crew members quickly ushering them aboard.

While relieved to be safe, Evans expressed deep concern after learning that people remained missing. "Up until that point I thought we had all dodged a bullet," he said, adding that his thoughts are with the families of those unaccounted for.

Despite the ordeal, Evans said he will not let the experience deter him from future adventures. "This isn't going to stop, it just shouldn't stop anyone from going out and doing things," he said, noting his plans to hike Mount Whitney in October.