Incredible drone footage captures a deserted Las Vegas with empty casinos and hotels as the city converts an empty parking lot into a homeless shelter where people sleep on towels and concrete six feet apart

  • Footage captured by Michael Tushaus and Ches Owen shows a near empty Sin City, save for a few cars, and includes eerie music 
  • Nevada's largest city recently had signs put up warning people to adhere to social distancing policies, as seen in the footage 
  • At at least 26 people have died from the coronavirus in Nevada. More than 1,100 people in the state have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 respiratory disease 
  • The footage comes after reports that a parking lot in the city has recently been turned into a temporary emergency zone for homeless people
  • City officials said they were forced at the weekend to transform the upper parking lot of the Cashman Center as a refuge
  • Move comes after the closure of the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada left 500 people without a place to sleep
  • The charity was forced to close after a man staying there tested positive for COVID-19
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

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Drone footage of a deserted Las Vegas show desolate casinos, an empty Strip and scenes straight out of an apocalyptic movie as the city continue to be on lockdown in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Footage captured by Michael Tushaus and Ches Owen shows a near empty Sin City, save for a few cars, and includes eerie music that perfectly syncs up to the visually shocking Vegas streets. 

Nevada's largest city recently had signs put up warning people to adhere to social distancing policies, as seen in the footage.  

Closed restaurants, casinos and hotels are the norm in the clip, with just a few essential groceries still open in the city.  

Closed restaurants, casinos and hotels are the norm in the clip, with just a few essential groceries still open in the city

Closed restaurants, casinos and hotels are the norm in the clip, with just a few essential groceries still open in the city

Footage captured by Michael Tushaus and Ches Owen shows a near empty Sin City, save for a few cars, and includes eerie music (Lights featured on the Wynn Las Vegas read 'Vegas Strong')

Footage captured by Michael Tushaus and Ches Owen shows a near empty Sin City, save for a few cars, and includes eerie music (Lights featured on the Wynn Las Vegas read 'Vegas Strong')

An adult superstore in Sin City has had to board up its windows while it remains closed during the pandemic

An adult superstore in Sin City has had to board up its windows while it remains closed during the pandemic

The few people who do appear in the tourist town are all seen wearing masks and keeping to themselves. 

At at least 26 people have died from the coronavirus in Nevada. More than 1,100 people in the state have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 respiratory disease.

The footage comes after reports that a parking lot in the city has recently been turned into a temporary emergency zone for homeless people.   

City officials said they were forced at the weekend to transform the upper parking lot of the Cashman Center as a refuge after the closure of the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada left 500 people without a place to sleep.

The few people who do appear in the tourist town are all seen wearing masks and keeping to themselves

The few people who do appear in the tourist town are all seen wearing masks and keeping to themselves

The charity was forced to close after a man staying there tested positive for COVID-19. 

'We were able to temporarily house everyone at the city's Homeless Courtyard Resource Center but could not adequately follow social distancing guidelines,' Jace Radke, a spokesman for the city, said.

'We then opened the emergency shelter at Cashman,' he added. 'Initially, padded carpeting was provided but it couldn't be adequately sanitized each day.

'We don't have enough mats to accommodate everyone. We are trying to get more but have been unsuccessful so far.'

City officials said they were forced at the weekend to transform the upper parking lot of the Cashman Center as a refuge after the closure of the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada left 500 people without a place to sleep

City officials said they were forced at the weekend to transform the upper parking lot of the Cashman Center as a refuge after the closure of the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada left 500 people without a place to sleep

The charity was forced to close after a man staying there tested positive for COVID-19. Homeless people getting tested in the parking lot

The charity was forced to close after a man staying there tested positive for COVID-19. Homeless people getting tested in the parking lot

He said the outdoor shelter area will remain open until April 3, when Catholic Charities is set to reopen.

Images of people lying on the concrete floor of the parking lot painted with white boxes in an effort to facilitate observance of federal social distancing guidelines have prompted uproar online. 

There are about 5,500 homeless people and around Las Vegas, a metropolitan area that has an estimated population of about 2.3 million people.

The city and county announced Tuesday that it had begun building a 350-bed complex of tents at the same facility for homeless people who have been exposed to the virus, those who have the virus but show no symptoms or those who are recovering but still need to be monitored by a nurse. The facility will offer those who don't need to be hospitalized a place be quarantined or isolated, with access to drinking water, restrooms, meals and other services.  

Images of people lying on the concrete floor of the parking lot painted with white boxes in an effort to facilitate observance of federal social distancing guidelines have prompted uproar online

Images of people lying on the concrete floor of the parking lot painted with white boxes in an effort to facilitate observance of federal social distancing guidelines have prompted uproar online

There are about 5,500 homeless people and around Las Vegas, a metropolitan area that has an estimated population of about 2.3 million people

There are about 5,500 homeless people and around Las Vegas, a metropolitan area that has an estimated population of about 2.3 million people

The outdoor shelter area will remain open until April 3, when Catholic Charities is set to reopen.

The outdoor shelter area will remain open until April 3, when Catholic Charities is set to reopen.

Many have questioned how a city like Las Vegas, with thousands of hotel rooms, could leave people sleeping on the streets during the pandemic.  

Officials in Nevada have not proposed putting the homeless in vacant hotels, including the famous casino resorts of the Las Vegas Strip, which began emptying two weeks ago when Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered a monthlong halt to gambling and closure of casinos. The resorts were allowed to keep their hotels open to avoid displacing guests or for emergency purposes, but all of them have since closed those operations too, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority spokeswoman Erica Johnson.

More than 4,300 people have died from the coronavirus in the United States

More than 4,300 people have died from the coronavirus in the United States

Tim Burch, Clark County human services administrator, said Tuesday that officials have been asking hotel and motel owners to allow use of their buildings. 'That has been our plan since day one,' he said.

He said the county has been looking for hotel owners who would offer their facilities because the goal is to provide a room and restroom for every person 'so they can isolate the same way you and I can in our homes.' 

Former presidential hopeful Julian Castro denounced the city for failing to protect its vulnerable population.

'After criminalizing homelessness this year, Las Vegas is now packing people into concrete grids out of sight,' he tweeted. 'There are 150K hotel rooms in Vegas going unused right now.

'How about public-private cooperation (resources) to temporarily house them there? And fund permanent housing!'

But despite the backlash, some staying at the parking lot have welcomed the temporary shelter which, they say, provides more space than some facilities, which are packed.

'This right here is helping us feel secure, feel safe,' Denise Lankford, a homeless woman, told the local CBS station. 'Other places, you don't feel safe.'

Las Vegas police officer guards the temporary homeless shelter while wearing a mask

Las Vegas police officer guards the temporary homeless shelter while wearing a mask

People try to sleep in the moderately warm weather. Temperatures were around 76 degrees Fahrenheit

People try to sleep in the moderately warm weather. Temperatures were around 76 degrees Fahrenheit 

Many have questioned how a city like Las Vegas, with thousands of hotel rooms, could leave people sleeping on the streets during the pandemic

Many have questioned how a city like Las Vegas, with thousands of hotel rooms, could leave people sleeping on the streets during the pandemic