Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.
The biggest storm since 1999 swamped Las Vegas on Tuesday, flooding the northwest valley, where dozens of people had to be rescued from flash floods.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman declared a state of emergency early Tuesday evening due to heavy flooding and asked residents to remain calm as flooding snarled rush-hour traffic.
Thousands of people were stranded for hours as the muddy water overtook streets and anything in its way -- including cars, houses and businesses. Traffic was snarled throughout the northwest. U.S. 95 was shut down in both directions until late Tuesday night and traffic -- despite some erosion that shut down an off-ramp lane at the Rainbow Curve -- was moving this morning.
Up to 3,000 homes were affected by power outages, officials said, and heavy rains and flooding was concentrated in northwest Las Vegas in an area of roughly 20,000 homes. About 60,000 people live in the area, officials said.
City, county and state workers were assessing the damage this morning. All major roads were open, although officials were urging people to use caution when approaching roads covered with water.
After the City Council met this morning and voted to ratify the state of emergency, Goodman left to meet with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials.
The valley was bracing for the potential of more storms and had made sandbags available at the city's service centers.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for Clark County throughout today as more thunderstorms were predicted. Storms could continue through Friday.
"This is a major, ongoing flash flood and travel should not be attempted," National Weather Service forecaster Larry Jensen said Tuesday night.
Weather forecasters said up to three inches of rain fell in parts of the valley in 30 minutes, overwhelming the flood control system, which is still being built, and saturating the northwest valley. Lone Mountain Road and Fort Apache Road was considered the center of the storm, officials said, and a storm control system at Gowan Road and U.S. 95 overflowed.
Authorities said no one was killed or severely injured in the storm.
"First and foremost, we're blessed," Goodman said this morning. "We don't have any reports of fatalities or serious injuries."
Tuesday stirred memories of the July 1999 flood, which like this flood was termed a 100-year flood. To be called a 100-year flood, 1.8 inches of rain has to fall in a 20-minute period. Tuesday there were reports of up to 2.8 inches of rain in the northwest in a 20-minute period Tuesday afternoon.
In 1999, the flood swamped the whole valley, killing two, and the area was declared a federal emergency area.
This flood was centered in the northwest part of the valley, but hit quickly around 3:30.
"This situation, at least to my recollection, is far more substantial than that of which I remember back in 1999," Goodman said.
Scattered thunderstorms hit the rest of the valley, with as much as 0.66 inches of rain reported in Henderson. The northwest, though, felt the brunt of the storms.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Metro had made nine rescues by helicopter and there were 50 swift water rescues recorded. A number of Good Samaritans were also pulling people from flood waters as dozens of vehicles, including a fire engine, got caught in flood waters.
Between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., there were 362 emergency calls to 911 dispatchers.
During their journey from street to street in northwest Las Vegas, one family witnessed Las Vegas firefighters being plucked from their floundering engine by a Metro Police Search and Rescue HH-1H Iroquois helicopter.
"It was a little crazy to see firemen being rescued," said Stephanie Hannah, 21, who was stopped by the water with her family. "We knew it was pretty bad at that point."
A series of thunderstorms left flooding throughout the valley, but the northwest was particularly hard hit. The major portion of the flooding was in an area around U.S. 95 and Gowan Road. City officials asked residents to stay away from the Rainbow Curve, Gowan Road, Durango Drive, Cheyenne Avenue, Craig Road, Buffalo Drive and Fort Apache Road.
"I think there are some heroic actions that are taking place," Goodman said. "There's no question about that. The helicopter rescues are very remarkable. We see some very dangerous situations happening out there."
As the floodwaters were saturating the northwest, Goodman urged people to stay where they were and above all, "remain calm." He said the flood has stretched resources and that only life-threatening emergencies were being handled by 911. All other calls would wait.
An American Red Cross shelter was set up at the Veterans Memorial Leisure Center on 101 N. Pavilion Center next to Palo Verde High School.
Red Cross officials said this morning that no one decided to stay at the center.
Metro's rescue helicopter was busy all afternoon pulling motorists from vehicles stalled in rising floodwaters. The chopper, which employs a heavy winch and cable, would lower a search and rescue officer down to secure victims, before hauling both to safety.
Three rescues were completed by Metro Police officers who drove their patrol cars into the rushing waters and pulled motorists to safety, Sgt. Rick Barela said.
Several people were acting as good neighbors as well.
Ron Gagliano, 43, usually uses his six-wheel drive Army surplus Jeep Kaiser for off-roading. But Tuesday, Gagliano used the 2 1/2-ton truck to fish a half-dozen cars out of rising water.
"We came out and just started yanking people out of the water," said Gagliano, who brought his 13-year-old daughter along for the ride. "People just don't learn."
Tyler Flippin used his 1993 Chevrolet Silverado to pull about 10 cars out of water near the intersection of Gowan and Rancho.
Flippin, 18, has oversized tires on his truck for desert racing, which also proved useful for keeping his truck above most of the water.
"I got a big truck and a long chain and their cars were filling with water," Flippin said. "We just decided to help everybody. We thought it was pretty fun, getting out and helping people, but it was a nightmare for them.
"We're not used to it so people think they can go through it but they can't."
Monica Morgan was home working on her Internet business when the rain started coming down in her neighborhood off Alexander between Durango Drive and El Capitan Way.
Morgan just moved into her new home four months ago, and was concerned when the water started to rise.
"I've never been a homeowner before, and I started to worry when the hail began beating down on my roof," Morgan said as she watched a river that covered Alexander flow east. "All the leaves on my tree came off, and the hail stones actually chipped the stucco on my house.
"I know that it floods in Las Vegas, but this was unreal."
Morgan's neighbor Ed McAllister watched the water climb up his front walk and fill his backyard.
"I've lived in Las Vegas for 50 years, and I've probably seen about 10 real good floods, but this is the worst," McAllister said. "There was probably about five inches in our backyard."
Two hay bales sit on the corners of the entrance to McAllister's subdivision, and they created quite a show when the rushing water hit them, McAllister's wife, Gloria, said.
"The water just shot up in the air like a fountain when it hit those hay bales," Gloria said. "I've never seen anything like it."
Some northwest residents took the storm in stride. Floyd Byington, who lives in a neighborhood near Durango and Alexander, said that he didn't have too much trouble getting home.
"I work in North Las Vegas and came home up Cheyenne (Avenue) with water up to my bumper," Byington said. "I just tried to stay patient and keep looking a half mile ahead to see what was coming.
"The key is to keep moving, because once you stop you're dead."
As the waters began to subside later in the evening a tangled mess of rocks, mud and debris began to clog valley roadways.
Along Buffalo, Durango, El Capitan, Cheyenne and Alexander, intersections resembled something out of the classic Mint 400 off-road race. As far south as Buffalo and Sahara Avenue, traffic signals were out and debris clogged roads.
On Buffalo south of Cheyenne a 30-foot tree was toppled by the storm, and blocked two southbound lanes. Along Durango between Sahara and Charleston Boulevard tree branches and leaves torn from foliage covered the roadway.
Several large trees on the Canyon Gate Golf Course at Sahara and Durango were uprooted.
Portions of asphalt were washed away by the flood leaving potholes and dips in roadways.
Las Vegas city officials said one road suffered severe damage and that several others sustained minor damage.
There was flooding reported throughout the valley, although none as heavy as in the northwest area.
In Henderson, one person was rescued near Serene Avenue and St. Rose Parkway from floodwaters, police said.
Waynell Allen lives near by and said people were turning around when they saw the condition of the area.
"When I came home from work all of the washes were flooded," Allen said. "They were just full. I tried to come home one way and there was just a river coming through it."
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