Authorities have evacuated dozens of tourists and Hualapai Tribe members who were endangered by floods in the Grand Canyon area, with some still unaccounted for. Evacuations may continue today if the weather allows for helicopter flights. Several hikers were rescued after being separated from their supplies and gear by the floods, as northern Arizona got 3 to 6 inches of rain Friday and Saturday and about 2 inches more on Sunday.

Early Sunday, the Redlands Earthen Dam broke, but the structure is considered minor by officials. Those rescued were set up in special shelters at an American Red Cross evacuation center in the Hualapai Tribal Gymnasium in Peach Springs. However, many stayed behind in Supai, which is on high ground and is not in immediate danger. Supai is the capital of the Havasupai Indian Reservation, which is home to the spectacular Havasu Falls. Supai village - home to about 400 members of the Havasupai tribe - is located on the Havasu creek, which meets with the Colorado river that runs the length of the Grand Canyon.

The Havasupai reservation was created in 1882. There are still about 20 people unaccounted for, which will be searched for as soon as the weather clears. Rescuers have five helicopters at their disposal, three of them being Black Hawks.

The Grand Canyon was created by the Colorado River over a period of 6 to 17 million years. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, at around 1540.