Residents clean up after Mt. Charleston flooding

LAS VEGAS — A muddy flash flood in southern Nevada damaged 10 homes on Mount Charleston, cut off water for dozens of residents and is forcing more than 100 other customers to boil water before drinking it or washing dishes with it.

Inmate crews with the Nevada Division of Forestry were on the mountain Tuesday clearing away rocks and debris, while Rodney Dukes surveyed the 2 to 3 feet of mud on the first floor of his two-story home.

“We’ve never had floods up here like this until this fire,” said Dukes, 78, referring to a wildfire last summer that destroyed vegetation and has accelerated erosion in the area. “At least this time I had flood insurance.”

Erin Neff of the Clark County Regional Flood Control District said the flooding happened after a storm dumped 2.4 inches of rain on one part of the mountain range within two hours.

Ten homes were affected, included five that had interior damage, Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said. The flooding also left deep crevices, closed Rainbow Canyon Boulevard and washed out a road-construction project that was in progress, she said.

Damage to the water system cut off service to dozens of customers, but repairs had restored the flow for all but 17 customers by Tuesday afternoon, said Bronson Mack of the Las Vegas Valley Water District.

Residents at another 112 properties are being told to boil water before drinking it, Mack said. The district was providing free bottled water for people who were affected by the flood.