After pouring rains and subsequent flooding closed a 50-mile stretch of a busy interstate, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval declared a state of emergency for Clark County and the Moapa Paiute Tribe Reservation. The heavily-traveled Interstate 15 was drenched with rain over the past few days, causing the soggy pavement to crumble.

Issued Tuesday afternoon, Sandoval's alert will allow for state and federal assistance according to a press release from the governor's office. This will also allow state-level aid to quickly respond to local jurisdiction's requests.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been and remain affected by the floodwaters," Sandoval said in a statement. "My office will continue to monitor the situation and I have requested continual updates. The Nevada Department of Emergency Management and Department of Transportation have engaged with local authorities and will remain on site with local responders."

Before the governor's declaration, the Clark County Commission announced it would consider declaring a state of emergency at a Sept. 16 meeting if the damage done and funding needed for disaster cleanup was still bleak. County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said the Sandoval's declaration will not affect the County Commission's plan to pass a resolution. They are independent announcements and follow unique protocol to obtain assistance, Welling said.

Repairing only one mile of the length of highway is expected to cost around $2 million dollars according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.

As of Tuesday's state of emergency declaration, the governor's office said first responders were still unable to reach portions of residents on the reservation due to the flooding and road damage.

In the town of Overton, at least 30 homes were flooded and county firefighters were involved in 18 rescues in the area, many of which dealt with submerged cars.

David Muns, a resident of Moapa, said he has been living in this area since the 1970s, and he's "never had water like that before."

Muns' neighborhood had more than four inches of rainfall in about two hours.