Tropical storm Hilary flooded the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico and then hit Southern California on Sunday. The storm has swamped roads and uprooted trees. It is anticipated that flash floods could strike in northern parts of the country, when torrential rain is a rare occurrence.
Weather forecasters stated that in 84 years, Hilary was the first tropical storm to hit Southern California. Along with the storm came mudslides, flash floods, high winds, power outages and potential isolated tornadoes.
The storm caused a landfall along the Mexican coast in a lightly populated region around 250 kilometers to the south of Ensenada. Then it moved on to Tijuana, a severely mudslide-prone area, alarming the homes that reside on the hillsides south of the U.S. border.
Tropical storm leads to shutdown of School Campuses
As heavy rain fell across sunny Southern California, around 9 million people were placed under flash flood watches and warnings, with desert regions and hillsides being the most susceptible.
Stones, mud and boulders blocked the highways, the drainage systems were flooded with water and trees fell in many neighborhoods across San Diego to Los Angeles. Many cars were stuck in the floodwaters in Palm Springs and nearing desert communities. The Los Angeles Unified School District, being the country’s second largest school system, stated that all campuses would be closed till the situation improves.
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho addressed a media briefing regarding the shutdown of schools. “There is no way we can compromise the safety of a single child or an employee, and our inability to survey buildings, our inability to determine access to schools makes it nearly impossible for us to open schools,” he said. Schools in San Diego have postponed the first day of classes.
Earthquake of 5.1 Magnitude hits California
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 struck near Ojai, located about 130 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. No major injury or damage was reported, as stated by the officials.
Hilary is anticipated to become the wettest known tropical cyclone to hit the western states of Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. Hilary moved onto San Diego and then hit the inland desert areas up north, reaching speeds of 97 kph.
It is the water, not the wind, that people should be careful of, said Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan, as some areas could experience rains that are heavier than what they would typically get in an entire year.
Disaster strikes the United States: The Wildfire in Hawaii
Hawaii’s island Maui, is still recovering from a wildfire that killed over a 100 people and destroyed the historically renowned town of Lahaina. This was the deadliest wildfire to hit the United Stated in more than a century
The Mexican cities of Tijuana and Ensenada closed all its beaches while opening shelters at government offices and sports complexes. Canadian firefighters are fighting the worst fire in history.
Evacuation Warnings in California
Rainfall could reach between 7-15 centimeters in many areas, according to Brennan. Weather forecasters claimed that it could reach up to 25 centimeters, which is almost a year’s worth of rainfall, in some isolated areas. A state of emergency was declared by the Governor of California Gavin Newson. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has equipped officials of California’s emergency preparedness office with food, water and other help.
Officials issued evacuation warnings on Saturday for Santa Clara Island, urging residents to head for the mainland. Los Angeles authorities are working to get homeless people off the streets and into the safety of shelters. Officials have closed all the beaches in San Diego and Orange counties.
