Loved ones are searching for 74-year-old Christie Rockwood, a missing Southern California woman whose home was swept away during Tropical Storm Hilary. Her mobile home in Angelus Oaks was overwhelmed by rising river water, and debris from her home was found nearby. Despite search and rescue efforts, Rockwood has not been located. Her family remains hopeful that she will be found alive.
The gates to the Black Rock Desert, where the Burning Man festival is held, have been closed due to flooding caused by Tropical Storm Hilary. The nonprofit organization running the event has requested that staff and attendees delay their travel until at least Wednesday. The festival, which attracts about 70,000 attendees, is set to begin on Sunday. While some may face travel delays, the ultra-rich with private jets should still be able to attend.
Fire crews in Cathedral City, California, rescued over 40 people, including a group of elderly residents trapped in a care home, during severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Hilary. The rescue operation involved the use of a bulldozer and an earthmover provided by community partners. The residents were safely evacuated and moved to other facilities. Only one person required medical attention and was airlifted to a hospital. The fire department is now in the recovery phase, assessing the situation and finding solutions. The storm also caused road closures and disruptions to public transportation in the area.
More than 200 patients were evacuated from White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles after a power outage caused by Tropical Storm Hilary. The hospital's backup generators failed, prompting the evacuation of patients from the neonatal intensive care and OBGYN units. All patients, including a baby born during the outage, were safely transferred to other hospitals. The failure of the backup generators will be investigated, and an emergency generator is being brought to the hospital.
Death Valley, known for its extreme heat and drought, received a year's worth of rain in a single day from Tropical Storm Hilary. The area typically receives 2.24 inches of rain annually, but on August 20, it received a record-breaking 2.20 inches of rain. The park was closed due to flooding, and an estimated 400 people in the surrounding areas were sheltering in place. This is not the first time Death Valley has experienced flash flooding, as it faced a similar situation last August.
A plane landing at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, experienced landing gear trouble, causing the left-side landing gear to collapse during a hard landing. Passengers on board were shaken up as sparks flew from the plane's left-side engine hitting the runway. Despite the incident occurring during Tropical Storm Hilary, all 106 passengers and staff safely evacuated the aircraft, with no reported injuries. The plane remains parked on a taxiway as investigations continue.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is facing criticism from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass after a bus carrying migrants was sent from Texas to Los Angeles during Tropical Storm Hilary. This is the ninth bus sent to L.A. from Texas since June 14. Mayor Bass called the move "evil" and accused Abbott of endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants. The bus arrived in L.A. with 37 asylum seekers, including 16 children, who were provided with humanitarian support services upon arrival. Abbott has been organizing the buses due to the overwhelming number of immigrants crossing into Texas from Mexico.
Death Valley, known for its extreme heat, experienced a record-breaking 2.2 inches of rain in 24 hours from Tropical Storm Hilary, which is the average amount of rainfall they receive annually. The park remains closed due to mud and debris flows, with roads damaged by the heavy rainfall. Additionally, Palm Springs, San Diego, and downtown Los Angeles also set new records for the wettest August day ever.
Tropical Storm Hilary triggered a massive mudslide in the San Bernardino Mountain, burying cars and causing widespread damage in communities such as Forest Falls, Oak Glen, and Seven Oaks. Some residents were stranded, roads were closed, and at least two mobile homes were carried away. Airlifts were conducted to rescue trapped individuals, while firefighters and paramedics sheltered in place with remaining residents. Evacuation orders were lifted in some areas, but others are still under a shelter in place order.
Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles was not flooded by Tropical Storm Hilary, despite viral aerial photos suggesting otherwise. The illusion of flooding was created by the reflection caused by the wet parking lot. The Los Angeles Dodgers clarified the situation on social media, sharing photos of the dry stadium. This incident highlights the prevalence of misleading information on social media during extreme weather events, with fake videos and captions attempting to deceive users. Experts advise verifying the source of information before believing and sharing it.
Tropical Storm Hilary has left farmworkers in Southern California's Eastern Coachella Valley without work, as the fields they normally harvest are inaccessible or flooded. Many farmworkers in the area lack legal status and are ineligible for unemployment or federal disaster aid. The storm has also caused damage to homes and infrastructure, leaving the vulnerable population in dire straits. The community has received some assistance from local organizations and shelters, but resources are limited. The economic impact is significant, as farmworkers live day by day and missing work makes a big difference. The region's agricultural industry is crucial to the state's economy, highlighting the need for better resources and support.
Tropical Storm Hilary, which has now weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, caused heavy downpours and record rainfall in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. The storm resulted in flooding, mudslides, disrupted air travel, and mass power outages. While there have been no known reports of deaths or major damage, officials are still assessing the storm's toll. The National Hurricane Center has warned of "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding" in parts of the Southwestern United States and Baja California, Mexico. Heavy rainfall and flooding are expected in Arizona and Nevada as well.
Tropical Storm Hilary has brought heavy rainfall to Reno, doubling the amount of water in the air and causing widespread rain in Northern Nevada. The storm has injected over an inch of precipitation into the atmosphere, which is more than twice the average for August. As the storm moves south, it is expected to bring isolated thunderstorms and cooler temperatures to the region. Meanwhile, in California, Hilary has caused life-threatening flooding, mudslides, and downed trees. Some areas have already received more than half a year's worth of rain, leading to dangerous flash floods and the closure of schools.
Tropical Storm Hilary has caused chaos in Los Angeles, leaving Dodger Stadium surrounded by water and forcing sports teams to alter their schedules for weekend games. Aerial footage shows the iconic stadium engulfed in floodwaters, while Californians faced dangerous floodwaters and mudslides. The storm has left 25 million people under flood warnings and caused widespread destruction. Several sports matches have been postponed or rescheduled, including LA Galaxy's MLS match and the Dodgers' game against the Miami Marlins. The Los Angeles Chargers' preseason game was also affected by an earthquake. The impact on upcoming games and events, including a concert at Dodger Stadium, remains uncertain.
Tropical Storm Hilary has caused school closures in various districts across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties in Southern California. The Los Angeles Unified School District, serving nearly 565,000 students, will be closed on Monday due to the storm. Other districts, including Pasadena Unified School District, Anaheim Union High School District, and Bear Valley Unified School District, have also canceled classes. Some colleges and universities, such as Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach, have shifted to virtual operations or canceled in-person classes.