2nd Rockfall In 2 Days Injures Another Climber At El Capitan

A day after one climber was killed and another injured, a larger rockfall has hurt someone in the same place in California's Yosemite National Park.

Climber Ryan Sheridan tells The Associated Press that the new slab that fell from El Capitan — which was full of climbers undeterred by Wednesday's fall — was three times larger than the section that broke off the previous day.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Peter Zabrok/AP Peter Zabrok/AP

He said the debris crashing down from the monolith filled the Yosemite Valley with smoke.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Tamara Goode/AP Tamara Goode/AP

A park spokesman said the person injured Thursday has been flown out to a hospital. The person's condition has not been released.

The Fresno Bee reports:

"Thursday's rock fall appeared to be in the East Buttress area where Wednesday's rock fall occurred. Traffic was being cleared from a nearby meadow and visitors were gathering to watch as one helicopter hovered over the debris. Later Thursday, the park announced that Northside Drive exiting the Yosemite Valley was closed due to the rock fall and advised drivers to leave via Southside Drive."

Park officials said the man killed in yesterday's rockfall was Andrew Foster, 32, of Wales, and his wife, who was seriously injured. Her name was not released. The officials said the couple were in the park to climb but were not climbing at the time of the fall.

The National Park Service noted in a statement before Thursday's event: