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Search for missing woman swept away by floods in northern Arizona enters third day


Search for missing woman swept away by floods in northern Arizona enters third day

HAVASUPAI INDIAN RESERVATION, AZ ((AZFamily) – The search for a missing Gilbert woman swept away by fast-flowing floodwaters continues into her third day in northern Arizona.

Grand Canyon National Park officials said 33-year-old Chenoa Nickerson was still missing as of Sunday morning.

Nickerson was last seen around 1:30 p.m. Thursday while hiking in Havasu Creek with her husband. The area was hit by a flash flood and Nickerson was swept into Havasu Creek, a half-mile above the mouth of the Colorado River.

Teams are continuing to search near the confluence and Beaver Falls. In addition, rescue teams plan to search the Colorado River from Lava Falls to the Havasu Creek confluence on Sunday.

On Saturday, emergency services focused on air and ground searches along the Colorado River.

Nickerson was last seen wearing a black tank top, black shorts, and blue hiking boots. She is 5’8″, 185 lbs, has brown hair, blue eyes, and tattoos.

Because of the flash flood, hundreds of people had to be evacuated from the popular hiking and swimming lake. The Arizona National Guard provided a helicopter from Friday night to Saturday afternoon to evacuate around 104 people from the Havasupai community.

On Friday, Governor Katie Hobbs activated the Arizona National Guard to assist with evacuation efforts after the Havasupai Tribe requested assistance.

The National Park Service announced that the Havasupai Tribal Council has decided to close Havasupai Falls until further notice due to significant damage.

If you have any information regarding Nickerson, please call the NPS ISB Tip Line at (888) 653-0009.

Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was swept into Havasu Creek about 500 miles upstream of the Colorado River...
Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was swept into Havasu Creek about a half mile above the mouth of the Colorado River and was not wearing a life jacket. She is still missing.(National Park Service)

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