Skip to content

One killed after rockslide in Yosemite National Park

AFP Image shows the El Capitan rock formation from ground levelAFP
El Capitan is one of the best-known landmarks in Yosemite

One person has died and another has been injured by a rockslide in Yosemite National Park in California.

A park spokesman said the rocks fell from El Capitan, a rock formation above Yosemite Valley, on to a popular hiking trail shortly before 14:00 local time (21:00 GMT).

The park remains open and visitor services are not affected.

El Capitan is the world's largest granite monolith and one of the best-known landmarks in Yosemite.

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

Speaking to KFSN-TV, climber Peter Zaybrok said: "I saw a piece of rock - white granite the size of an apartment building - suddenly just come peeling off the wall with no warning."

"Boy, I don't know how anybody could have survived that," he added.

In a statement, the park said the rockslide occurred in an area popular with climbers.

"The release point appears to be near the 'Waterfall Route', a popular climbing route on the East Buttress of El Capitan," it said.