Survivor describes Grand Canyon flash flood evacuation, helicopter rescue

(NewsNation) — A Grand Canyon hiker described a terrifying scramble to safety after flash flooding tore through a campground at the bottom of the canyon, sweeping away a bridge just minutes after he crossed it. Gabe Bergemann was staying with his father, brother and a family friend at Phantom Ranch, a lodge near the canyon floor, when he saw "ominous-looking rain clouds coming in on the horizon," he said. Moments after the group reached the safety of their cabin, the storm hit. "It was just the most massive, like, monsoon, a straight torrential downpour for 30 or 40 minutes or so," Bergemann told "The Hill on NewsNation." The rain let up, and the group thought the danger had passed. But about 15 minutes later, a park ranger rushed in and told them they had to evacuate immediately because there was a warning of a flash flood that could "take the campground," Bergemann said. Less than 10 minutes after they crossed, the bridge was washed away. "It was a real close shave," Bergemann said.

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