Hilary was downgraded from hurricane to storm. But now waves over 12 meters hit.
A Mexican rescuer helps than man during the storm Hilary. After hitting Mexico before, it has now hit California. Photo: The Armed Forces of Mexico, Reuters / NTB
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Published: 21/08/2023 07:22
Updated: 21/08/2023 10:45
The tropical storm is forecast to cause catastrophic flooding in the Baja California peninsula and the southwestern United States.
Meteorologists also believe that the storm will create life-threatening surf conditions and rip currents.
Waves of up to 12 meters are now crashing along the Pacific coast.
While Hilary was still some distance out to sea early Saturday, it was a Category 4 hurricane. It is the second highest on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.
The bodies of water are about to go over the road in Palm Desert, California. This is the first time in 84 years that a tropical storm has hit this part of the United States. Photo: Mark J. Terrill, AP / NTB
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Flash floods, landslides and tornadoes
On Monday night, the storm hit Southern California.
Flash floods, landslides, floods, possible tornadoes and power outages are expected. Initially in the border city of Tijuana.
In the city, much of the buildings are located on steep mountain sides, and there is great fear of mudslides.
Floods flood a road in Palm Springs, California this morning after Tropical Storm Hilary hit in the morning hours. Photo: Fire department in Palm Springs / Reuters/ NTB
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The highway in Imperial near San Diego was partially closed when the rain triggered a landslide with large rocks, according to locals media.
The emergency phones were turned off in Palm Springs as a result of the extreme weather. Several million people have been asked to stay at home and avoid roads. The schools that were supposed to open on Monday are closed for two days.
Downed power lines in Bajas California on August 20. Photo: Victor Medina, Reuters / NTB
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First time in 80 years
The topography can be permanently changed in the dry Death Valley and in the mountains north of Los Angeles. It will be the first time in over 80 years that a tropical storm has hit dry Southern California and Nevada, and the authorities are taking the danger seriously.
Hilary is expected to have rainfall amounts that only occur once in a hundred years, and the storm could be the wettest ever to hit Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.
An evacuation order has been issued for Catalina Island outside Los Angeles. Sandbags have been distributed to homes and shops along the coast and beaches.
Laura Elizalde Reyws in Mexicali looks at a light pole that hit her car on August 20. Storm Hilary first hit Mexico, before reaching California. Photo: Victor Medina, Reuters / NTB
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The rivers were dry – now there are floods
In the Mexican city of Santa Rosita, one person drowned when a car was swept away in a flood-sized stream. However, the rescue workers managed to save four others.
Life-threatening waves have been announced along the entire coast of Baja California. Many people have sought shelter in refuge centers in Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the long Mexican peninsula.
In rivers that have been dry for years, large river volumes are now flowing down.
In San Diego this morning, 13 people had to be rescued from a river bed in Moreno. These were homeless people, who lived in a camp under a bridge, writes San Diego Union-Tribune.
In several places, the rescue workers have had to retrieve people from cars, which were hit by flooded roads.
A number of roads have already been closed, reports say CNN.
– Life and property in great danger
Since this part of the United States has not experienced similar weather since the 1940s, rescue workers fear that many are unprepared.
– Areas that normally never experience flooding will be affected. Lives and property are in great danger, warned the US emergency services.
The big bright spot is that the storm has weakened significantly in the last few hours. The strongest winds are now down to 65 kilometers per hour.
This is shown by the latest measurements from the US National Hurricane Center. But the danger of catastrophic floods is still present.
Surfers at Huntington Beach in California prepare to surf the big waves from Tropical Storm Hilary. Photo: Reuters/ NTB
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The storm will hit Los Angeles in the next few hours, home to nine million people. Extremely high rainfall has already broken a number of records.
On top of the storm, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake was measured in Ventura last night. The quake and aftershocks, about 10 miles from Los Angeles, could be felt in large parts of southern California. No damage has been reported following the earthquake.
2023-08-21 08:37:30
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