Three Las Vegas men injured in flash flooding at Zion National Park Saturday

ZION NATIONAL PARK — Three Las Vegas men were rescued by park rangers after they were caught in flash flooding at Zion National Park Saturday.

The men had been canyoneering in Spry Canyon when a severe thunderstorm hit the park around 3:30 p.m. and dropped about an inch of rain in less than 30 minutes.

The canyoneers were near vertical sections that required rappelling when the storm struck and water poured into the canyon. One of the men was washed over a 40-foot drop and the other two went over a 60-foot drop, park spokesman Ron Terry said.

One of the canyoneers signaled park rangers using a head lamp, and an off-duty ranger traveling on switchbacks just west of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel saw the light and called for help.

Two rangers responded and discovered the men near the last rappel in Spry Canyon, Terry said.

Officials called for a helicopter to short haul the two most seriously injured men to a location where they could then be flown to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, one with suspected internal injuries. Park rangers were able to help the third man out by foot and then took him by ground ambulance to the same hospital.

Several canyons in the southern end of the park were reported to have flash flooding, but there were no other injuries.

— Lana Groves