California, August 21: Tropical storm Hilary has entered the United States Southern California causing heavy rainfall and disrupting the lives of many people, The Washington Post reported. Tens of millions of people are under a tropical storm warning, the first of its kind issued for Southern California. Heavy rainfall and “catastrophic flooding” are expected in parts of Arizona and Nevada.
The storm arrived at the time when the earthquake hit the South California region. An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hit Southern California north of Los Angeles, US Geological Survey said on Sunday (local time).
Earthquake hits Southern California
“Good afternoon Southern CA. Did you feel the magnitude 5.1 earthquake about 4 miles southeast of Ojai at 2:41 pm,” USGS Shake Alert said on X (formerly Twitter).
Meanwhile, the US National Weather Service said that flash floods can inundate roads and quickly sweep away people or structures. The danger is even more serious for people who live in deserts, reported The Washington Post. When heavy rainfall doesn’t soak into desert sands, the water can move quickly.
“Arid, sparsely vegetated environments found in this area have little capacity to absorb rainfall,” according to the National Weather Service. “The resulting runoff moves rapidly through the narrow canyons and steep terrain. … In many areas, even small storms can turn normally dry washes and creeks into raging torrents of water in a matter of minutes,” it added.
Before the storm hit Southern California, the state proclaimed a state of emergency. According to a release from his office, "more than 7,500 boots on the ground" have already been deployed to protect from the impact of Hurricane Hilary.
State of emergency in Southern California
“Today, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for much of Southern California to support Hurricane Hilary's response and recovery efforts as the state continues mobilizing and coordinating resources ahead of the storm’s forecasted impacts starting today,” CNN reported quoting the release.
State of emergency declared in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County has declared a state of emergency, the county said in an emailed announcement to residents. According to The Washington Post, the county, which encompasses a large swath of Southern California from east of Los Angeles to the border with Arizona and Nevada, said Tropical Storm Hilary had arrived there, with the worst storm conditions expected through midnight local time.
