[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 97 (Monday, July 12, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H5360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LAS VEGAS FLOOD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, a flood damage assessment team from the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency arrived in my hometown of Las Vegas 
this afternoon.
  It may be a bit strange to many of my colleagues to hear the words 
``flood'' and ``Las Vegas'' in the same sentence. People usually do not 
think of flooding as a problem that happens in a desert environment. 
But the potential for flash flood disaster constantly lurks in the 
summertime in southern Nevada.
  I have lived in Las Vegas for 38 years, and I have seen a lot of 
flash floods. But last Thursday brought rain and flooding like I have 
never seen before. We were hit with what weather experts called the 
100-year flood.
  With more than an inch of rain falling per hour, rivers of water 
swept across the Las Vegas Valley. The metropolitan area was brought to 
a standstill. Many neighborhoods were under several feet of water. 
Heroic rescue crews from our police and fire departments and other 
agencies saved dozens of people, men, women, and children who were 
stranded in high waters with frighteningly strong undercurrents, in 
many cases, danger of being swept to their death by the raging waters. 
Sadly two people did die.
  Helicopter rescue teams crisscrossed the valley, hoisting to safety 
people who could not escape the onslaught of water and mud that swept 
down from the surrounding mountain sides. One security officer, Cornell 
Madison of Las Vegas, repeatedly waded into high waters to rescue 
trapped motorists. He is one of many, many people who disregarded their 
own personal safety to help others.
  The waters subsided rapidly, and our tourism services were back in 
full swing within a day. But things did not turn out so well for 
hundreds of residents whose homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. 
Many small businesses also suffered heavy losses. In some parts of the 
city, the devastation was overwhelming, as flood channel banks were 
ripped apart by fast-flowing run-off waters that were over 10 feet 
high. Homes were literally torn from their foundations and dumped into 
the torrent.
  Residents were able to flee in time to save their lives, but they had 
to return to find themselves either homeless or facing massive repair 
and cleanup expenses.

                              {time}  2015

  There is also damage to public infrastructure totaling many, many 
millions of dollars. I personally helicoptered over the Las Vegas 
Valley to see firsthand the devastation below, and I went to the worst 
affected area, the Miracle Mile Mobile Home Park, rolled up my pants 
legs and went to talk to those residents who had lost everything.
  I greatly appreciate FEMA's decision to send in damage assessment 
teams to help the local governments in my Congressional District 
identify the losses and advise on how the damage can be mitigated. They 
will be in the field tomorrow and I will be in communication with them.
  I also appreciate the interest and responsiveness of the Small 
Business Administration in the wake of this disaster. I know that our 
Federal disaster relief agencies will quickly act upon any requests 
from local and State officials for assistance. And as representative 
for the areas that were the hardest hit by this devastating flood, I 
will continue to communicate the needs of the Las Vegas community to 
Federal agencies.
  The people of Las Vegas have banded together to help one another 
during this time of dire need for many of our residents. Now is the 
time for our Federal Government to come into Southern Nevada and lend a 
helping hand to a community ravaged by flood.

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