Residents shelter in place after Tropical Storm Hilary brings 'substantial flooding' to Mt. Charleston

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Some residents of Mt. Charleston are sheltering in place on Monday morning after the remnants of Tropical Storm Hilary caused "substantial flooding" over the weekend, according to Clark County officials.

"This is the worst flooding incident I have seen up here," said Mt. Charleston Fire Chief George Gonzales of his 15 years on the job.

State Route 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) was shut down at its junction with state Route 158 (Deer Creek Road) due to flood damage, officials stated.

In a press conference on Monday afternoon, Nevada Department of Transportation officials say about 200 feet of Kyle Canyon Road have been "severely damaged," and it's unclear when it will reopen.

Overall, multiple agencies were unable to give precise timelines because the area is not safe enough to go in and get an accurate assessment.

NDOT Spokesperson Justin Hopkins says the floods tore part of the road. Officials say they are currently working to bring it back to a "usable" state by establishing at least one temporary lane.

Power was shut off to the Mt. Charleston area, and a boil water order was issued for residents served by the Kyle Canyon Water District, Chief Gonzales noted. According to NV Energy, outages are affecting 443 customers in Pahrump.

NV Energy Director of Operations Shannon Gregory says they're not sure how long the power will be out.

"As of right now, it is very preliminary I can't even quote you a time frame today."

The Nevada National Guard, mobilized Friday by Gov. Joe Lombardo in anticipation of heavy rainfall and flash flooding, was said to be en route to Mt. Charleston to assist with cleanup efforts.

A shelter for residents impacted by the storm waters was established at The Retreat on Charleston Peak at 2755 Kyle Canyon Road, county officials stated.

Mt. Charleston and Lee Canyon remained closed on Monday, and members of the public were asked to stay away from the area until further notice. Additionally, the U.S. Forest Service announced in a press conference on Monday that the emergency closure order for Spring Mountain National Recreation Area would be extended until Friday.

Since Friday, nearly 7 inches of rain fell on Mt. Charleston, with a little over 8 inches of rain measured at Lee Canyon.

Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall on Sunday morning and moved north through Southern California and the Mojave Desert. Forecasters projected it would dump a year's worth of rain on some desert areas in a matter of 48 hours.

In the Las Vegas Valley, rain totals were closer to 1 inch in most areas.