A powerful thunderstorm blasted through Las Vegas and nearby communities Friday evening, flooding streets, toppling trees and trapping tourists inside casinos.

Torrential rains and 70-mph winds also knocked out power in more than a dozen locations, including Primm, the town that sits on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border.


About 50 people had to evacuate from one condominium complex because of fallen trees, gas leaks and a loss of electricity. They took shelter at Desert Pines High School, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The National Weather Service declared a flash flood warning for Las Vegas and surrounding areas for Sunday afternoon through Monday evening.


Monsoon moisture and high temperatures combine to create thunderstorms, which dump enough rain to flood low-lying areas, the weather officials said.


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Twitter: @latimesrainey


james.rainey@latimes.com