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Dramatic footage circulating online shows cars struggling to move against floods around Las Vegas after heavy rain hammered parts of the Nevada city ahead of the weekend.
Several clips posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, show cars partly submerged in fast-moving floods, with some vehicles battling against the oncoming water. In another clip, a bus can be seen making its way through water high enough to cover the vehicle's wheels.
The National Weather Service (NWS) based in Las Vegas hadissued a severe thunderstorm warning for the northeastern parts of the city, including Nellis and Sunrise Mountain on Saturday, which was in effect until 3:30 p.m. Residents could expect winds of around 60 miles per hour, and large hailstones, the NWS said.
A separate flash flood warning for the Southwest, lasting until 8:30 p.m., was issued by the NWS for the areas around Ludlow and Amboy and Clark County areas, including Jean, Primm, and Boulder City which sit close to the stateline with California. The NWS said on Saturday that heavy rain fell around the border with Arizona, with half an inch of rain recorded in just 15 minutes in some areas.
Las Vegas reported 0.88 inches of rainfall on Friday, which is almost three times the monthly average for the area for the entire of September, according to media reports.
Flash flooding also hit Las Vegas's iconic Strip—authorities urged drivers to avoid driving through floodwaters and to stay off the roads wherever possible.
"Beware of hail up to quarter size and strong wind gusts," the NWS wrote in a post to social media.
On Saturday, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue said it had responded to 24 "swift water" rescue events, with up to 12 people being rescued from standing or moving water. Up to 35 vehicles were stranded in water, the department added.
The city of Las Vegas authorities had told residents on Friday to avoid driving through flooded areas or getting caught in flood channels or basins, with flash flooding warnings in place across Clark County ahead of the weekend.
"Six inches of running water can knock down an average adult," local authorities said in a post to social media, adding: "Eighteen inches of running water can carry a vehicle."
The U.S has been battered by severe weather in recent weeks, with Catergory 4 Hurricane Idalia wreaking havoc across southeastern states and Tropical Storm Hilary hitting the Southwest.
Update 09/03/2023 6 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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Ellie Cook is a Newsweek security and defense reporter based in London, U.K. Her work focuses largely on the Russia-Ukraine ... Read more