Las Vegas flooding: one dead in Henderson after heavy rain, hail and water rescues

Heavy rain, flooding and hail swept parts of the Las Vegas valley on Friday, leaving one person dead in Henderson after a swift-water rescue. A Henderson city spokesperson said a person pulled from a wash near Lake Mead Parkway went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The death came during one of three swift-water operations the Henderson Fire Department carried out early in the afternoon as rain deluged parts of the city and the wider valley.

Rescues and street flooding

Two people were rescued near Lake Mead Parkway east of the Lake Las Vegas entrance, and a third was taken from the top of a vehicle near North Milan Street and Drake Street in Henderson. No other injuries were reported from those operations. Local outlets also reported flooding on Eastern Avenue, north and south of Interstate 11 and U.S. 95, and some streets across the valley were under water.

Rainfall totals varied widely. According to county rain gauge data cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, several parts of eastern Henderson recorded between one and more than 1.5 inches, while downtown Las Vegas received just over an inch by the afternoon. Ping pong ball-sized hail was reported east of downtown, according to a post by the National Weather Service on X.

Warnings, airport and power outages

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the east valley and a flash flood warning covering eastern Henderson and Lake Las Vegas, which was in effect until 3:45 p.m. Harry Reid International Airport halted ground operations because of lightning, and a traffic management program later caused delays of nearly 90 minutes. According to FlightAware, about 530 flights were delayed by 8 p.m., with Southwest Airlines most affected.

NV Energy reported more than 4,000 customers without power at 1:40 p.m., mostly in the central valley. That figure fell to about 2,000 by 2:15 p.m. A downed pole near Las Vegas Boulevard and Foremaster Lane affected 1,700 customers, and the company said power had been restored by about 6 p.m. Lakeshore Road at Boulder Beach, near Lake Mead, was closed and later reopened at 4 p.m.

Warnings from forecasters

Chris Outler, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said forecasters were watching the situation closely and that greater impacts could follow if heavy rain continued. "Stay alert and if you do encounter flood waters turn around," he said. The weather service warned drivers to be mindful of flowing washes and flooded low-water crossings.

A motorcyclist, Tim Davis of Las Vegas, said he was struck by hail on the on-ramp to Interstate 11 at Charleston Boulevard while heading to a medical appointment. He said he pulled over and was hit on the leg, and that he had not been wearing a full helmet.

What we know so far

The death in Henderson is the only fatality reported so far in the flooding. Forecasts shared by FOX5 Vegas called for rain and cooler temperatures to continue through the weekend, with drier weather expected early next week and a better chance of widespread rain as a system moves inland late Saturday into Sunday. Officials have not released further details about the cause of the death.

Background: Flash flood warnings in the Las Vegas area are typically issued when rainfall rates risk rapid runoff into washes and low-lying roads, and residents are advised to avoid driving through standing or moving water.