LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The devastating floods in Texas are bringing back painful memories for some Southern Nevada residents who experienced similar destruction during Hurricane Hilary in 2023.
While the current devastation is happening more than 1,000 miles away, the scenes are all too familiar for families in the Spring Mountains area who are still recovering from their own flooding disaster.
VIDEO: Abel Garcia talks to someone who was affected by Hurricane Hilary and its flooding in 2023
"I can't imagine the devastation, you know, that those people are going through. Until you've probably been through it, it's unfathomable," said Dan Snyder, whose home was severely damaged during Hurricane Hilary in August 2023.
I visited Snyder's wife Aimee last year after their Old Town home became one of the hardest hit when Hurricane Hilary tore through the Spring Mountains. Thick mud blanketed the entrance to their home, and Dan says the water came fast and without warning that night.
When asked about how quickly they witnessed the damage, Snyder explained the rapid escalation of the situation.
"Well, initially we had planned on staying because the water had only gotten up to the step there," Snyder said.
The family never expected flooding of that magnitude to hit their home.
"No, never. We got 10 inches in like 3 days," Snyder said.
While lives were not lost in the Spring Mountains flooding, Snyder says the experience changed his perspective on how seriously to take weather warnings. He has a message for families watching the disaster unfold in Texas or anywhere else.
VIDEO: Channel 13 reports on the aftermath of Hurricane Hilary in Old Town
"When the warning comes, take it… take what you want, you know, your valuables and stuff and…Get out," Snyder said.
With monsoon season well underway, flash floods can be a serious threat in Southern Nevada. So far this year, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and other teams have responded to at least four swift-water rescue incidents.
Just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet, and 12 inches can carry away a small car. In desert environments, dry ground can quickly turn deadly during sudden rainfall.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for Clark County flood alerts, know their evacuation routes, and always take weather warnings seriously.
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