Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Officials in Utah said park rangers are searching for a hiker who went missing in Zion National Park amid a flash flood caused by torrents of rain that hit the region late last week.
More than 20 people have been scouring in and near the Virgin River for Jetal Agnihotri of Tucson, Ariz., who went missing Friday, the National Parks Service said in a statement.
Officials said Agnihotri was among a group of hikers who were swept away by a flash flood Friday afternoon.
Rangers received a report of the incident and initiated a search and rescue operation at about 2:15 p.m., resulting in one hiker being found injured near the Temple of Sinawava after being swept several hundreds yards downstream. The unidentified hiker was then airlifted to the hospital.
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Several hikers was also found by park rangers on high ground surrounded by water. They were instructed to wait for the flood waters to recede before receiving assistance to safety.
It was only later that evening that friends of Agnihotri reporter her missing.
Search and rescue operations of Agnihotri have limited access to sections of the park while others have been completely closed to the public, officials said, adding camping and some hiking permits for Virgin River Narrows have been canceled and park shuttle buses in Zion Canyon are only operating between the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and the Grotto.
"Park rangers and other members of the Zion Search and Rescue Team responded quickly to this event, and we are continuing our efforts," Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park superintendent, said in a statement.
The group were hiking as the National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning Friday for central and eastern Zion National Park that instructed the public to immediately move to higher ground and avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
