- An avalanche left four people missing following heavy snowfall at Lee Canyon ski resort near Las Vegas, Nevada but they have all now been found safe and well
- A witness reported that the deep snow had initially hindered recovery efforts
- The incident occurred after intense overnight snowfall that continued into mid-morning on Monday
Four people who had been reported missing following an avalanche at Lee Canyon ski resort near Las Vegas on Monday afternoon, have been found safe and well.
The snow is said to be particularly deep following heavy snowfall overnight that continued into mid-morning.
One X user explained how the deep snow had initially hampered recovery efforts making plowing of the area virtually impossible.
‘Four people were initially reported missing. Everyone has been located and is safe. We are currently assisting people off the mountain,’ the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department tweeted.
Clark County also stated that the avalanche had also shut down travel on roads SR 156 and 157 on Monday afternoon.
Five people have been reported missing following an avalanche at Lee Canyon ski resort near Las Vegas. Pictured, Lee Canyon earlier on Monday
Clark County also stated that the avalanche had also shut down travel on roads SR 156 and 157 on Monday afternoon
Several inches of snow fell overnight on Sunday into Monday, continuing into mid-morning
Four people who had been reported missing following an avalanche at Lee Canyon ski resort near Las Vegas on Monday afternoon, have now been found safe and well
The ski lifts were shut following a worsening of conditions on Mt. Charleston at Lee Canyon
The snowfall was captured in this picture posted to Instagram as flakes fell among the fir trees
‘Lee canyon cannot even be plowed right now, because the snow is so deep and there’s a report of an avalanche at the ski hill… Five people missing… NHP is on the scene,’ Mt Charleston Mountain Man initially tweeted.
‘The bowl around Sherwood fell in… We started getting really heavy snow around 1030, 11 o’clock… Wet stuff on top of all the dry stuff that fell overnight… I’m pretty sure that all influenced this incident,’ the X user wrote.
The ski resort is about one hour’s drive away from Vegas or around 50 miles.
The public is still being urged to avoid the area until the weather and conditions improve.
Several users took to social media to post pictures of the snowfall on Monday
The western United States including the Las Vegas area has been deluged in recent days following a ferocious winter storm
The avalanche was confirmed by local authorities on Monday afternoon
The LVMPD earlier tweeted: ‘Metro Police Search & Rescue is en route. We are trying to locate several people who are reported missing. Conditions are hazardous due to the weather. Please avoid the area until the weather and conditions improve. We will have more information soon.’
The western United States including the Las Vegas area has been deluged in recent days following a ferocious winter storm.
The culprit behind the inclement weather is an ‘atmospheric River’ which is a concentrated channel of moisture originating from the subtropics, transporting moisture and heavy rainfall into the region.
