Storms hit Moapa Valley fast and hard
Weekend storms packed a wallop that caked rural Moapa Valley yards and vehicles with mud and temporally closed Interstate 15 in both directions early Saturday.
The Muddy River overflowed its banks in the Moapa Valley, about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, with the high water affecting a handful of residents in the rural Warm Springs area. But the flooding didn’t wash away big chunks of 1-15 and leave the region’s transportation system reeling like the Sept. 8 flood did.
Traffic on southbound I-15 remained reduced to one lane near Mesquite on Saturday afternoon. Drivers faced traffic delays from water and debris on the highway.
Overall, the Las Vegas Valley and its surrounding areas escaped notable damage, according to the National Weather Service.
The floodwater damage wasn’t as bad as it was earlier in the month, said a spokeswoman for Clark County Regional Flood Control District.
MOAPA VALLEY DAMAGE
The hardest hit was property in the Warm Springs area in the Moapa Valley, where homes are near the Muddy River.
Thirteen homes in that area were evacuated Friday night, according to Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Jon Klassen.
Residents, who were back at their homes to clean up early Saturday, said the weekend flooding was worse than earlier this month because of the higher river level.
The damage left mud and debris in yards, flooded sheds and exterior storage buildings and damaged vehicles.
“The floor’s OK,” said Andy Shakespear, a Moapa Valley resident.
But Marlayna Santos and her husband, David Aguilar, didn’t fare as well.
An inch of silt came into their house along the river bank.
“All of a sudden, I heard the sound of water,” Aguilar said, describing the flood.
A water pipe broke, too, complicating their efforts to clean up their home.
Floodwaters that swept through yards proved costly for residents.
Mary Cloud said the flood destroyed about $2,000 worth of hay bales for her four horses that she keeps on her eight-acre property.
Though the flood didn’t wash away the interstate, Moapa Valley residents in the path of the flood said the water was higher than earlier this month.
“It was a mess the first time, but this time it’s even worse,” Cloud said.
The Muddy River swelled up to 12 feet in about 90 minutes Friday night, but seemed to mostly hold up Saturday morning, National Weather Service meteorologist Justin Pullin said.
OTHER DAMAGE
Notable damage in Las Vegas included downed trees, some fires and construction equipment being pushed around by the wind, Pullin said.
“Heavy lightning” hammered northwest Las Vegas Friday night, according to the Las Vegas Fire Department.
The Fire Department received multiple reports of tree fires and a few swift-water rescues on Friday night, which resulted in no injuries, spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
Lightning struck a home’s roof, causing $75,000 of damage, in the 1900 block of Becker Court, near West Lake Mead Boulevard and Buffalo Drive.
Zion National Park in southwestern Utah was temporarily closed because of flooding and debris flows of rocks and mud, according to the National Park Service.
Some of the park roads reopened throughout the day as road crews worked to clear the clutter. Arizona Route 9, Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, received a significant amount of floodwater damage. As of 3:30 p.m., Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive and Arizona Route 9 were still closed.
The park was under a flood warning through late Saturday afternoon because of the amount of rainfall. The park received about 2 inches of rain.
The rainy weather in Moapa and Mesquite was clearing up and the waters were receding by Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm front was pushing through the area and heading toward central Arizona, the weather service said.
The Associated Press and Review-Journal writer Cassandra Taloma contributed to this report. Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites. Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.
