Weather 
A hiker from Texas was among at least two people killed in flash floods that swept through parts of the Grand Canyon over the weekend, and two of his friends are among the roughly 15 people still believed to be missing, the group’s family members said in a statement Monday.
Dr. John Giusti, a 46-year-old chiropractor from Granbury, Texas, described by his family as a devoted father of three daughters, was killed, while his companions — Brent Rosenkranz and Timothy Allen Smith — were still missing.
“To the community, he was a gifted healer. To his friends, a powerhouse of life. To his daughters, he was their ultimate hero. To me, he was my whole world,” Giusti’s wife, Janet Giusti, said in a statement.
Rosenkranz has a wife and three sons and is a “lifelong martial artist who has dedicated much of his life to teaching and mentoring young people,” his family said.
“As an ATA martial arts instructor and school owner, Brent has made an impact on generations of students, but his family says the role he prizes most is simply being there for the people he loves,” the joint statement said.
Smith, also a husband and father of three, “loves the outdoors, exploring and helping others. Hiking and camping with his family are among the things he loves most,” his family said.
The three men entered the Grand Canyon on Friday and hiked to Bright Angel Campground, the families said. Their plan was to spend two nights exploring trails near the bottom of the canyon and go fishing before moving on to Havasupai Gardens, which the park says is a “frequent stop for hikers and mule trains traveling up and down the Bright Angel Trail,” before finishing their hike, according to the families’ statement.
Courtesy of the Rosenkranz and Smith families 
“Our families are profoundly grateful to the search-and-rescue personnel working to bring our loved ones home and to everyone who has prayed for us, reached out, offered help and surrounded our families with love,” the families said Monday in a joint statement. “We ask that you continue praying for Brent and Tim, for everyone searching for them, and for all of the families affected by this tragedy.”
Dozens of people had to be rescued after heavy rain caused flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas of Grand Canyon National Park. But more heavy rain on Monday hampered continued rescue efforts. In just the past two days, the Grand Canyon was hammered by almost half a year’s worth of rain.
Rolling bands of rain pummeled the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on Monday, preventing the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which rescued 61 people over the weekend, from using its helicopters for rescue flights all day.
An Arizona DPS official told CBS News that two reasons they’ve had trouble making contact with the missing are a lack of cellphone coverage and possible language barriers. Many of those believed to be missing or unaccounted for are believed to be foreign tourists, and their family members may not know exactly where they are or be able to contact authorities here.
Another complicating factor is the remoteness of the terrain. There are no roads inside the park. The only ways to get around are by foot, mule or helicopter.
Over the weekend, as creeks began to swell and masses of muddy debris clogged rivers, rangers ordered dozens of hikers to run. Among those racing to safety were Erica Viola and her boyfriend.
“He’s yelling at me, ‘Run, run,’ and I’m going, ‘I can’t run any faster. I’m going to just die.’ I knew if I didn’t run, we weren’t going to make it,” Viola told CBS News. “Five minutes later we would have been washed.”
Handout/Grand Canyon National Park 
Ten minutes later, the footbridge they had used to reach safety was gone. It was among the infrastructure within the park that was wiped out by the floods.
“Nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating pedestrian access across the creek,” the National Park Service said Sunday.
Viola and her boyfriend were airlifted to safety a few hours later.
Steve Kramer managed to hike out, but he was exposed to yet another danger: falling rocks.
“All the people down in the canyon there, there’s just nowhere to go and nowhere out,” Kramer said. “No way out.”
