‘Catastrophic’: Tropical Storm Hilary slams California, cuts off towns

US residents are bracing more extreme weather with another serious storm bearing down on coastal communities, as footage emerges of the Tropical Storm Hilary aftermath. Watch video, see photos.

Americans are bracing for more extreme weather with strong winds, flooding and storm surges expected as Tropical Storm Harold bears down on South Texas.

The tropical storm formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall south of Corpus Christi, about 330km southwest of Houston, by midday Tuesday (3am AEST Wednesday).

It comes after Tropical Storm Hilary wreaked havoc on the Californian tourist town of Palm Springs, which left almost 50,000 people with “no way in or out” thanks to rising floodwaters.

Vehicles drive through floodwaters following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary in Thousand Palms, California. Picture: AFP

Traffic is diverted on Interstate 10 because flooding and mud crossing the highway at Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage near Palm Springs, California, following TS Hillary. Picture: AFP

A worker from the Coachella Valley Water Department surveys the debris flow that has cut off Palm Springs. Picture: AFP

TS Harold is expected to dump 7.6cm to 12.7cm of rain — and up to 17.8cm – in some areas of South Texas, with a storm surge up to 1 metre and winds of 64 to 80 km per hour.

“The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the north of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large waves,” the US’ National Hurricane Centre said.

Popular beaches and camping areas in the area have been closed since Monday due to the storm surge risk.

Emergency services, including Texas National Guard, are on standby to deploy should they need to.

“I encourage Texans to remain weather-aware and heed the guidance of state and local officials and emergency management personnel as they work together to keep communities safe,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement, reports CNN.

TS Harold marks the fourth storm in the Atlantic Basic in a matter of days, with more likely to strike later this week.

‘EXTREME SITUATION’: PICTURES SHOW HILARY AFTERMATH IN CALIFORNIA

The California tourist town of Palm Springs has been effectively trapped by rising floodwaters, leaving almost 50,000 people with “no way in or out”.

The mayor of Palm Springs, which has a population of 45,000 not counting tourists, said the full extent of the damage is yet to emerge after 911 emergency lines went down over the weekend.

“Right now we have flooding on all of our roads. There’s no way in or out of Palm Springs and that’s the case for the majority of the Coachella Valley. We’re all stuck,” Mayor Grace Garner said.

Traffic is diverted on Interstate 10 for flooding and mud crossing the highway at Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage near Palm Springs, California. Picture: AFP

A road is washed out as Tropical Storm Hilary heads north into Palm Springs, California. Picture: AFP

Roads are washed out as Tropical Storm Hilary heads north into Palm Springs, California. Picture: AFP

She said the major freeway into the town, the I-10, is blocked in both directions while emergency crews have conducted three successful water rescues.

“This is a very extreme situation at the moment. Our 911 lines are also down. Any resident that needs 911 can text 911 in the city of Palm Springs or they can call a non-emergency number,” Garner added to CNN.

Fire Chief Michael Contreras told the outlet they rescued seven people in Cathedral City, just south of Palm Beach, where a “large amount of the mud and sand” prevented evacuation.

“Now, we are going to go house-to-house and making sure that the people who want to get out can get out,” Contreras said.

“Right now, they are trapped for all intents and purposes.”

“If you don’t need to get out, give us some time, and we will get the tractors and the manpower, and we will clear the streets.”

Elderly residents are rescued by members of the Cathedral City Fire Department in a bulldozer in Cathedral City, California. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

California Governor Gavin Newsom had declared a state of emergency over much of the typically dry area. Picture: AFP

It was a wild ride for these residents rescued with a bulldozer. Picture: AFP

Mission complete. Cathedral City Fire Department rescuers help residents off a bulldozer. Picture: AFP

Despite the unprecedented rainfall across California, Los Angeles officials reported no deaths or significant injuries.

“We are past the brunt of the impact,” National Weather Service meteorologist Ariel Cohen said after weather warnings in the city were cancelled.

LA fire chief Kristin Crowley said they responded to about 1800 incidents, including cars stranded in the rising floodwaters in Sun Valley and power outages in Hollywood.

The Los Angeles branch of the National Weather Service said overnight that multiple daily rainfall records in the region had been broken.

Aerial images show Dodger Stadium in LA flooded.

Wild scene at Dodger Stadium today pic.twitter.com/xXzQoT0N1T

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) August 21, 2023

Dodger stadium this morning #Dodgerstadium#dodgerblue#copterpilot#dodgerlife#dodgers#dodgertown#doyers#blueheaven#LA#LADodgers#playball#losangelesaerial#dodgeraerialpic.twitter.com/FFZ7OMZ8Ti

— Los Angeles Dodgers Aerial Photography (@DodgerAerial) August 21, 2023

Hilary’s core passed over California into Nevada while brushing over the US states of Oregon and Idaho, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“Life-threatening and locally catastrophic flooding” continued to be expected over portions of the southwestern United States, it added.

Residents trapped in their home peer out a window while waiting for help in Yucaipa, California. Picture: AFP

Mud fills the backyard of a home after a retaining wall partially collapsed when tropical storm Hilary moved through the area in Palmdale, California. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

An aerial image shows no traffic on Interstate 10 due to flooding and mud crossing the highway following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary, in Rancho Mirage, California, Picture: AFP

A large eucalyptus tree branch rests on cars after falling overnight as tropical storm Hilary moved through the area in Sun Valley, California. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Rocks and mud cover a damaged street following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary in Cathedral City, California. Picture: AFP

HILARY WREAKS HAVOC

Tropical Storm Hilary earlier crossed the US-Mexico border into California, threatening to bring a year’s worth of rain and becoming the first tropical storm in the state since Nora in 1997.

Amid the storm chaos, a magnitude-5.1 earthquake centred near the city of Ojai rattled parts of Southern California, with shaking reported in Malibu, Porter Ranch, parts of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach and other locations.

There were no immediate reports of significant damage.

Motorists leave their vehicle stuck on a flooded road during heavy rains in Palm Springs, California. Picture: AFP

Residents place sandbags in front of a beach front home in Long Beach, California. Picture: AFP

The rains have forced the closure of Death Valley National Park — one of the world’s hottest and driest places — which has now been overcome with muddy floodwaters.

One person was plucked to safety from the Los Angeles River shortly after firefighters responded to a call about two cars in the flood control channel, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said.

The storm caused travel chaos with at least 1030 flights into or out of the US cancelled, according to tracking website FlightAware.

Schools in Los Angeles and San Diego will be closed on Monday, local time, to ensure the safety of students, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.

CNN reported that Los Angeles officials will open three more emergency shelters in a bid to help get the city’s huge homeless population to safety before the brunt of Tropical Storm Hilary hits.

Workers set up a sign near a flooded intersection as Tropical Storm Hilary moves through San Bernardino, California. Southern California. Picture: AFP

A car drives through a flooded intersection as Tropical Storm Hilary makes landfall in Palm Springs, California. Picture: AFP

ONE DEAD IN MEXICO

One man died in northwestern Mexico, where Hilary lashed the Baja California Peninsula with heavy rain and strong winds, when a car carrying a family of five was swept away by an overwhelming stream of water.

At its peak, Hilary reached Category 4 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, but was downgraded to a tropical storm as it headed towards southern California on Sunday local time, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said.

Forecasters warned that Hilary could bring up to 10 inches — or a year’s worth of rain for some areas — in southern California and southern Nevada.

Volunteers and members of the Long Beach Fire Department fill sandbags in Long Beach. Pictures: AFP/Getty Images

Hilary, the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, packed maximum sustained winds of 90km/h, as it moved north just off the west coast of Baja California, the US National Hurricane Center said.

“On the forecast track, the centre of Hilary will move across southern California in the next few hours,” the NHC said 7.30am AEST on Monday.

“Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely over Baja California and portions of the southwestern US through Monday,” it warned.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for much of the state’s southern area.

“Stay safe, California,” he wrote on social media as Hilary approached.

A view of the Medano beach in Los Cabos, Baja California State, Mexico, during the passage of Hurricane Hilary. Picture: AFP

Authorities opened five storm shelters and deployed more than 7500 personnel, including several hundred National Guard soldiers as well as swiftwater rescue teams, Newsom’s office said.

In San Diego, people filled sandbags to prepare for possible flooding, while lifeguards warned people to stay out of the sea.

Ahead of the storm, Californians were frantically stocking up on necessities like batteries, bottled water and torches, the New York Post reported.

“Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely over Baja California and portions of the southwestern US through Monday,” the US government agency warned.

And US Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell urged people to take the dangers seriously.

“Hurricane Hilary is going to be a serious impact and threat to southern California,” she said on CNN.

Originally published as ‘Catastrophic’: Tropical Storm Hilary slams California, cuts off towns