One drowned, dozens rescued from Las Vegas floods after two days of heavy rain

Las Vegas residents watched the skies Sunday for more rain as they recovered from flooding that prompted two dozen water rescues and one apparent drowning.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue said Saturday that 30 to 35 vehicles had been stranded in water and that 10 to 12 people had been plucked from standing or moving water. The rain flooded not only Las Vegas streets and sidewalks but also closed down part of Interstate 15 until late Saturday night.

One person whose body was found Friday entangled in debris matched the description of someone who witnesses had seen swept away in the same area. The person, whose name was not immediately released, was declared a victim of drowning, KSNV-TV reported.

The National Weather Service said Sunday the rain total recorded at Harry Reid International Airport was 2.55 inches in the weekend’s storms. Already in 2023, 3.99 inches have fallen, which the NWS said is 1.17 inches above normal.

“Las Vegas saw more than 2.5 times the average rainfall for the entire month of September in a single day,” The Weather Channel reported.

The NWS said there was a chance of more rain on Sunday. Flood watches were in effect through Monday for several parts of Nevada.

“With one final day of storm activity, watch out for a few stronger storms today — especially across Lincoln County and eastern Clark County,” the National Weather Service said Sunday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Strong winds and hail will be possible in these areas as our weather system departs the area.”

With News Wire Services