Rains again cause problems on I-15 near Mesquite

By Pashtana Usufzy, Ian Whitaker

Published Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 | 7:55 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 | 6:12 p.m.

​Interstate 15 south of Mesquite was closed in both directions Saturday morning after heavy rain and flooding, the Nevada Department of Transportation said.

Crews worked for around an hour and a half to clear debris near mile marker 111, and the interstate was opened around 9 a.m., the department said.

State routes 168, 169 and 170 were also closed, but Route 168 has since been reopened, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

A flash flood warning was in effect for eastern Clark County and Lincoln County until 8 a.m. Sunday as storms continued to push east in Arizona.

The rains caused National Weather Service officials on Friday to issue an overnight flood emergency for an area that includes Moapa, Glendale, Logandale and Overton. This is the same area northeast of Las Vegas that was hit hardest by floodwater during storms Sept. 8.

Authorities responded to cars stuck on Interstate 15, but no one was trapped and the cars were unoccupied, officials said. The section of flooded interstate was about 14 miles away from the stretch washed out in the Sept. 8 flooding, which caused extensive damage to the key tourist and trucking route between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City and damaged 139 homes in Moapa, Overton and Logandale.

The flooding wasn't as bad as earlier this month because of how the rain fell and where it was conveyed, said Erin Neff, spokeswoman for the Clark County Regional Flood Control District. High waters in washes didn't make it into the Muddy River on Sept. 8 and they were closer to an American Indian reservation, while Friday's flooding was near Warm Springs Road, she said.

"It was a lucky miss, because that area certainly didn't need any more flooding," Neff said, adding that officials were concerned overnight about saturation from the previous flooding.

The river was not at risk of widespread flooding and water in washes was subsiding, she said.

"Right now everyone seems to be out of the woods," Neff said.

Farther north, in Utah, National Park Service officials said Zion National Park roads were closed due to flooding from heavy rains this morning.

Two inches of rain fell this morning in some areas of the park and caused numerous debris flows of rocks and mud across portions of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway (State Route 9). Park Rangers are also concerned about portions of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway being undercut by floodwaters, park officials said in a news release. The park's maintenance staff was working to remove the debris from the roadways and assessing any further road damage.

All park facilities including the visitor center, museum and campgrounds are open. Zion Lodge is also open, but traffic restrictions are in place. No injuries have been reported.

There were reports of storm problems in Las Vegas, as well as a power outage in Henderson.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said a townhouse was heavily damaged after being hit by lightning, but no one was hurt.

He said firefighters also responded to two calls of minor flooding, one at a residence and another at a business.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.