Climate threat Grand Canyon flash flood

El Niño believed to be behind Grand Canyon flash flood

The heavy monsoon rains in Arizona may have been exacerbated by El Niño. The rain has in turn led to the Grand Canyon flash flood, writes The Washington Post.

The monsoon season runs between June 15 and September 30. But El Niño causes the unusually warm and humid air that flows into the United States from the Pacific Ocean, which in turn leads to more flooding.

On Saturday, 31.5 millimeters of rain was measured in three hours at weather stations near the Grand Canyon. But because the area consists of rocky and dry terrain, the water had difficulty penetrating the ground, which caused the tidal wave, the newspaper writes.

One dead and several missing after flash flood in Grand Canyon

One person is dead and around 15 are missing after a flash flood hit Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, USA, reports CNN. It concerns a 46-year-old man.

The flash flood also destroyed hiking trails and water pipes.

62 people have been evacuated and further evacuations are expected on Monday.

The area has been hit by storms with heavy rain in recent days.