Pedestrians Swept Away as Heavy Rain Floods Las Vegas

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Posted on: August 25, 2023, 12:39h. 

Last updated on: August 25, 2023, 12:39h.

A hazardous rainstorm caused chaos and damage in Las Vegas, impacting the city’s casinos and posing dangerous conditions. Some buildings near the Las Vegas Strip were flooded and experienced ceiling tile collapses.

A taxi drives through flooded roads
A taxi drives through flooded roads by a Las Vegas wedding chapel. Casino ceilings were damaged in heavy rains. (Image: AP)

Popular casinos like Harrah’s Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, and Topgolf were affected by the storm, leading to disruptions in the usual operations, according to initial reports from Las Vegas Issues and local TV station KSNV.

Caesars Entertainment confirmed that the ceiling tiles at their two casinos were damaged due to the rainstorm, although they did not collapse as initially reported by KSNV.

The heavy rainfall also caused significant flooding on local roadways.

Swift Current Victims Reported

Additionally, it has been reported that up to six individuals became trapped in the swift-moving current inside channels in Las Vegas. As of Thursday, none have been reported to have lost their lives, but most remain unaccounted for.

One incident occurred at Koval Lane between Flamingo Road and Sands Avenue, where a man and a woman were spotted being carried downstream by the current while in a wash, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. An unconfirmed report suggests that the couple managed to extricate themselves from the dangerous situation.

Another victim is believed to have been caught by the fast-moving water and remains missing.

A third person was successfully rescued by firefighters from a channel at another location, as confirmed by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Lt. Miguel Ibarra in an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal.

The search and rescue efforts involve Clark County firefighters, LVMPD officers, and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) from an ambulance company. A LVMPD helicopter is also providing assistance by illuminating the area, aiding the rescuers, as reported by KLAS.

The Clark County Fire Department deployed 28 personnel to the two channel sites, along with five engines, one heavy rescue unit, one rescue unit, and two battalion chiefs.

Dangerous Conditions and Safety Precautions

“The water in Clark County’s storm drains and washes moves at an alarming and dangerous rate and many times without warning,” warned Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Thomas Touchstone in a statement quoted by the Review Journal.

Victims can be carried downstream faster than emergency responders receive the call and have the opportunity to react. After storm water moves through washes, the debris piles remaining are extensive and reveal areas where a victim moving in the water could have been caught and hidden from crews searching during the event or afterwards.”

Touchstone emphasized that pedestrians should never enter washes and storm drains, regardless of the weather conditions, in order to ensure their safety.

 

 

 





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