Two People Missing Wednesday Night, Washed Away In Las Vegas Canals

Heavy rains and gusty winds hit the Las Vegas Strip, the I-15 Resort Corridor, portions of Henderson, and the Lake Mead Recreational Area Wednesday night. Crews are searching for two people washed away by rushing water in Las Vegas canals. Undoubtedly, monsoon season continues in Southern Nevada.

At this time, 8NewsNow.com is reporting that one person was rescued from rushing waters through Las Vegas canals Wednesday night. However, Linsey Lewis’s article also states that crews are still searching for two other missing people.

Specifically, Las Vegas Metro Police Department officers and Clark County Fire Department personnel responded to separate calls Wednesday night between 9 p.m. – 10 p.m. Several people called in reports about people being washed away in canals near East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane.

Canals near Sahara Avenue and Lamb Boulevard, as well as Sahara and Nellis Boulevard, are other areas where rescue crews are searching for missing people.

By now, everyone should be aware that even though it doesn’t rain that often in Southern Nevada, when it does, the water moves fast. You’ve heard the warning: “Turn around; don’t drown.” Sure, that applies to driving through rushing water. But, it also applies to walking or standing in rushing water.

In fact, when heavy rains and thunderstorms hit the Las Vegas valley, the storm water really gets moving quickly. It’s important to realize that during summer monsoon months sudden downpours and rapid flash flooding can occur. The Clark County Regional Flood Control District has helpful information on their website.

For example, did you know that water rushing through flood control channels can reach 30 miles per hour? Six inches of rushing water at that speed can knock you off your feet. Per RegionalFlood.org, these flood control “facilities include detention basins, channels, washes, and storm drains.”

Basically, you should avoid walking through or standing in flood control channels even when it’s not raining. In brief, water can flow through these channels at any time.

Let's face it...the 2022 Las Vegas monsoon season has been a doozy. And we still have a month to go. But just for a little perspective, the National Weather Service has named this the wettest Las Vegas monsoon season we've had in ten years. According to their twitter page, we've had 1.28" of rain so far this year. You can see on the graph the last ten monsoon seasons and how they compare to this year's numbers.

https://twitter.com/NWSVegas/status/1558067667558232064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1558067667558232064%7Ctwgr%5E6aaeaca5123d93433bf4e675177353e5a9605257%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F963kklz.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D423901action%3Dedit

Monsoon season starts anywhere between mid June and early July. And lasts until about mid September. Dangerous lightning, wildfires, dust storms and flash flooding. Monsoon season is not the time of year to be careless. That goes for whether we are home or out when a storm hits. On our Las Vegas roads we have seen a lot of slick pavement during this season, with the slippery combination of rainfall and discharge from automobiles. And the days after a storm haven't been any easier either. High winds and dust storms leaves a ton of debris on our roadways, making it hard to navigate even the most familiar of routes. During monsoon season, winds have been known to top 50 miles per hour, and many homes have seen damage like falling trees or broken shingles.

This year we've seen people dying in the flash floods of the underground tunnels. And Planet Hollywood just got an unexpected water feature in the middle of the gaming floor. Monsoon season is no joke. And it's important for us to remember when it's upon us. Let's do what we can to keep ourselves and our families safe during this treacherous time of year. To help in that effort, we've put together a list of tips that every resident should know during a Las Vegas monsoon season.

–Wendy Rush, 96.3KKLZ Las Vegas

Sometimes the storms during monsoon season last a few minutes. Other times it's a few hours. But wherever you are when it hits, it's best to stay put if you can. All that wind and rain makes driving more hazardous than ever. And blowing debris and lightning can also cause issues. Find something to do wherever you are and wait it out, if possible.

Texting and driving is always a bad idea, but a thousand times over during a storm. The roads are wet, visibility is compromised from rain or dust storms. This is not the time to drive with less than two hands. Never take your eyes off the road and drive under the speed limit.

Monsoon storms sometimes cause us to temporarily lose power. If you have any appliances or routers that you just cannot afford to have go out, get a back up power supply. There are lots of options, from little battery banks to full on generators. And having candles and/or flashlights on hand is never a bad idea.

During monsoon season, it's smart to keep an eye on each day's weather. If you're not used to checking on the weather before leaving the house, you can set up a lot of smart devices to automatically deliver that news every day. Then you can take the necessary precautions if a storm is headed your direction. There are also weather apps to choose from that can set up a schedule for daily reporting.

We hear it all the time! Driving (or walking) through flash flooding is a bad idea. But still people do it. If you're one of these people, keep in mind that it only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock over an adult. And only a foot and a half of it to move a vehicle. Turn around. It's not worth the risk.

Like we said, monsoon season sometimes brings winds over 50 mph. So be prepared for a little furniture rearranging on your back porch. If you have outdoor draperies, string lights or lightweight pillows, you might want to bring them in or make sure they're well-secured to something. Or you might be fishing them out of your neighbor's yard.

With all the water we've been getting in Vegas, there has been many opportunities for some water to collect in puddles here and there. Well this is the perfect breeding ground for our little mosquito friends. So during monsoon season, make it a habit to check places around your house that water can collect and dump it before those little buggers can lay their eggs.

Larry Martino is the long-time afternoon drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

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