Drainage tunnel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Image Credit: Voice of America
The tunnels stretch for about 600 miles beneath the valley, including areas close to major resorts. VoiceofAmerica(VOA) reported on one tunnel near the Las Vegas Strip where around 30 homeless people were living. VOA reported one resident named Craig, known as the mayor, who had lived in his tunnel for 7 years.
Because floodwater could rush through the tunnels without warning, in several places, furniture was raised above the ground. Deseret News reported that Las Vegas was built in a desert where sudden downpours can cause flash floods, leading to the construction of hundreds of miles of tunnels to collect and redirect water. He earned money by selling lost golf balls collected from a nearby course and said residents took pride in not stealing from one another. VOA reported about a woman who described the people around her as a family, while also recognising that becoming comfortable there could make it harder to leave.
Residents had collected discarded furniture and other belongings from above ground, according to Deseret News. Las Vegas is known for its bright casinos, busy streets and round-the-clock entertainment, but beneath the city lies a very different world. Hundreds of people have made homes inside a vast network of flood-control tunnels built to move water during heavy rainfall. For people without stable housing, these dark concrete passages have become places to sleep, cook and build small communities, even though the same tunnels can quickly become life-threatening when heavy rain arrives. The underground network was never designed as housing. Some passages are only four or five feet high, while others are large enough for people to stand comfortably. They run through parts of the city near well-known resorts, including Caesars Palace, the Rio, the Flamingo and the Orleans. The scale of the system helps explain how such a hidden community could develop. The tunnels are spread across the valley, with some sections running close to the surface and others extending much deeper underground. For people who have stayed there for years, the tunnels can become more than a place to sleep. Deeper inside, there was carpet, electricity and artwork on the walls. Residents cooked meals, did laundry and followed their own rules, including keeping the area clean and respecting other people. Some had beds, tables, chairs, coolers, bicycles and barbecue grills. The communities can also develop their own informal leadership. For some residents, the underground community can also feel familiar. Another resident described the tunnel simply as free rent, with running water being one of the main things missing.
