Thunderstorms, flooding expected to continue today

Monday, Aug. 15, 2005 | 10:31 a.m.

Thunderstorms and flash floods were expected to continue over the Las Vegas Valley today, repeating Sunday's downpour, and emergency officials are hoping they don't see more incidents like Sunday's, when two teenage girls were trapped in the turbulent, fast-moving waters of a Henderson wash.

The National Weather Service today also issued a flash flood watch until 10 tonight, and although no flooding was reported this morning, the weather service said rain is expected.

Flooding in the southeast valley sent swift water rescuers to 12 spots along Pittman Wash to save the girls, ages 13 and 14, but they were pulled to safety by passersby.

Shortly after 3 p.m. 12 Henderson Fire Department teams stationed themselves downstream along the wash after receiving reports that the girls lost their footing near Horizon Ridge Parkway and were swept away.

One of the girls was rescued not far from where she was caught in the floodwater, but the other traveled more than a mile downstream. Rescuers were able to reach into the wash and grab her near Jessup Road and Wigwam Avenue, Henderson Battalion Chief Tim Hartman said.

"They were lucky," Hartman said.

Paramedics took both teens to St. Rose Dominican Hospitals' Siena campus, but reportedly they were not seriously injured. The hospital would not release any information about the teens citing the federal law intended to protect privacy.

As the firefighters stood by during the first rescue, a report of two boys floating in the same channel came in, but Hartman confirmed that the boys had scrambled to safety.

Although officials warn people each summer to stay away from channels roaring with runoff after heavy downpours, swift water rescuers have to respond to calls for help nearly every time it rains.

The series of severe storms dumped 1.65 inches of rain into Pittman Wash, according to a rain gauge monitored by the Regional Flood Control District.

The National Weather Service forecast more thunderstorms and flash flooding in Southern Nevada today until drier air arrives on Tuesday.

Basketball referee John Shepherd said he was out driving in the storm about 2 p.m.

"What was interesting was the hail, about pea-size," the Green Valley resident said.

Even larger hail, about the size of marbles, was also seen in Green Valley.

Shepherd stood on the banks of Pittman Wash under an umbrella as it ran under Pecos Road, watching the waters recede shortly after 5 p.m.

"This isn't that bad," said Shepherd, who said he grew up in Southern California's deserts.

Police and rescue crews responded to numerous reports of accidents. Lightning struck homes and power poles throughout the valley and electricity was knocked out in some neighborhoods.

Slick roadways and speed were believed to have contributed to a sports car slamming into a light pole in the median on Green Valley Parkway north of Pebble Road in Henderson. The woman driver walked away from the accident, but when the pole fell it just missed a motorcyclist by inches, a Henderson Fire paramedic at the scene said.

Eastern Avenue between Serene Avenue and Pecos was closed due to flooding. Serene and Gold Hill was closed after the pavement washed away.

Other rain totals reported by the Regional Flood Control District included 1.73 inches in the McCullough Detention Basin in the foothills of the McCullough Mountains south of Henderson and 1.38 inches at the Red Rock Canyon Visitors Center.

In Pahrump the Weather Service issued a flash flood warning until 8:45 p.m. Sunday. The Pahrump Fire Department reported that several roads in Pahrump Valley had one to two feet of water across them.

Water across the pavement was also reported on State Route 160, the highway from Las Vegas to Pahrump. Some areas in Pahrump Valley had received an inch of rainfall in less than 30 minutes, the fire department said.

Late Sunday U.S. 93 was closed to traffic near Caliente in Lincoln County, about 165 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Before the thunderstorms arrived, the Weather Service recorded a high of 98 degrees at McCarran International Airport, the official reporting station for the Weather Service. The official low on Sunday was 68 degrees after all of the rain.

With the far southern areas of the valley feeling the brunt of the storm, just 0.09 of an inch of rain was reported at McCarran through Sunday.

Some arriving and departing flights at McCarran experienced delays as rain continued into Sunday night.