Monsoonal rains flood streets and casinos in Las Vegas
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Cleanup efforts continued Saturday after monsoonal rain in Las Vegas caused water to cascade from casino ceilings and flooded street intersections across the city this week.
Videos posted online showed water pouring from ceilings at Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood resorts on the Las Vegas Strip two days ago. Water also swamped the carpet at the Circa Resort & Casino after rain started sipping in through their sportsbook video wall.
Scattered power outages were also reported in places including the downtown Fremont Street Experience casino pedestrian mall. At least 16,000 people suffered power outages in the Las Vegas area Friday night, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
While only 0.3 inches of rain was registered at the Las Vegas airport late Thursday, more than 1 inch fell just 1 mile away at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, according to a local National Weather Service official. Little precipitation easily creates flooding in Las Vegas since the water doesn't seep into the desert terrain.
Nearby wind gusts peaked at 71 mph and toppled trees. One of those trees fell on an apartment complex in Las Vegas, displacing more than 30 people who live there. Staff and volunteers from the American Red Cross in Nevada opened up a temporary shelter for displaced residents Friday night.
Las Vegas firefighters responded to 330 calls for service and swift-water teams rescued at least seven people, city spokesman Jace Radke said. Clark County firefighters responded to six water rescue calls, county spokeswoman Stacey Welling said.
Officials said no injuries or widespread damage was reported.
Rapid runoff from sunbaked lots flooded street intersections, prompting vehicles to creep through high water near Las Vegas Boulevard and Main Street. Flood-control channels turned to roiling torrents.
Silverado Ranch Boulevard between Decatur and Arville is expected to remain closed during the weekend as contractors working on construction projects in the area continue clean-up efforts following the flooding.
Clark County also had crews working to remove fallen trees from local roadways.
Monsoonal storm activity is common in Las Vegas during this time of year.
"It’s monsoon season which brings thunderstorms and can lead to flash flooding that, while severe, generally disappears quickly," Las Vegas City Hall tweeted Saturday.
While some rain is expected in Las Vegas Saturday, no monsoonal activity is expected in the area.
But monsoonal moisture is expected to spread across western Nevada, “resulting in a considerable increase in shower and thunderstorm chances during the afternoon and evening hours Sunday through Tuesday," the National Weather Service said in a forecast Saturday.
