LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After barreling through Mexico, Hurricane Hilary is now wreaking havoc in California, where it has unleashed heavy rain, turned roads into gushing streams, and triggered a rock slide that closed a portion of the interstate.
In Southern California, millions of people are experiencing the effects of Hurricane Hilary, which emerged 470 miles off the Mexican coast of Manzanillo on Wednesday, August 16.
The National Weather Service stated that major parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were already suffering "dangerous flooding” on Sunday, August 20. “THIS IS LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING!” officials wrote in a social media post.
Californian authorities are urging residents not to travel, citing the risk of mudslides, deteriorating roads, hazardous debris flows, and floods.
One California official even warned that Hilary could be among the most devastating storms to hit the state in recent years, according to CNN.
Meanwhile, residents are taking to their social media handles to share videos and images of the destruction.
When did Hurricane Hilary strike California?
Hilary’s core tore through California on Sunday but the storm's effects were felt in the state much earlier in the day, with heavy rainfall that submerged most of the state’s roads.
The weather service noted that parts of Palm Springs received more than 2 inches of water in only six hours on Sunday, which is roughly half of what the area typically receives in a year.
In Palm Springs, the city manager declared a local emergency due to “unprecedented rainfall and flooding,” with city officials saying there had already been one swift water rescue by Sunday afternoon.
More than 7 million people, including those in downtown Los Angeles, are under a flash flood warning through early Monday morning.
The National Weather Service has warned that up to 1.5 inches of rain might fall each hour in some areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Schools in the San Diego Unified School District announced they are postponing the first day of the school year to Tuesday.
Videos show devastation caused by Hurricane Hillary
This came after San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria revealed that the authorities are not prepared for this kind of heavy rainfall. “We are not used to this level of precipitation, generally. Certainly not in the middle of summer,” Gloria told CNN’s Jim Acosta, adding that he was worried about potential power outages from the wind as well as flooding. “We’re not built for this kind of rainfall,” he further noted.
A video shared on Twitter showed how a massive debris plug flooded through the town after heavy rainfall. In another footage, a car was seen stranded on the submerged road in Palm Springs.
In a third video, heavy flood water was seen flowing through the streets of Baja California, Mexico. The scenes of devastation in California have left residents praying for their lives.
“Signs of the End times! Last days! Prepare A storm is coming!” one user wrote on Twitter while a second user said, "Hurricane Hilary has hit Mexico and is on its way to California. Be prepared. Be safe. Pray for our nation."
"I really pray Hurricane Hilary passes without causing havoc. South California is in no way capable of dealing with a hurricane," a third claimed.
