Tropical Storm Hilary wreaked havoc along Mexico's Baja California coast during its landfall on Sunday, before moving towards Southern California and causing significant flash floods in the US state.
Hilary marks the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, resulting in floods, mudslides, high winds, power outages, and the potential for isolated tornadoes, as reported by the news agency AP. The storm has already unleashed up to 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) of rain in certain mountain communities.
A state of emergency was declared for much of Southern California, with flash flood warnings in effect, after Tropical Storm Hilary made historic landfall https://t.co/MGjSGiYcdl pic.twitter.com/7QxiZO2T37
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 21, 2023
Prior to impacting San Diego, California, the storm struck the Baja California coast in Mexico, leading to at least one fatality and dangerous flooding in various areas. In the Mexican town of Santa Rosalia, a person tragically drowned on Saturday as a vehicle was swept away by an overflowing stream.
In California, Tropical Storm Hilary triggered flash floods and heavy rainfall. Meteorologists have indicated that the storm is poised to bring a possibly "historic" amount of rain, potentially causing "life-threatening" and "catastrophic" flooding across Baja and the Southwestern United States until Monday.
Despite the storm's weakening, rescue efforts continue in specific areas, amid concerns of escalating flood dangers.
Adding to the challenges, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Southern California at 2:41 p.m. on Sunday, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake's epicenter was near Ojai, located 130 kilometers northwest of downtown Los Angeles.