- The Pacific tropical storm “Hilary” has weakened, made landfall in northwestern Mexico and is now reaching the USA.
- Two people have already died as a result of the floods.
- The US has declared a state of emergency. It’s the first tropical storm to hit California since 1997.
“Hilary” hit land. That’s the name of the Pacific tropical storm that is now moving further north to California on its way along the northwest coast of Mexico.
Legend:
In California, too, the weather has changed in the past few hours. Heavy rain falls, especially in the south-west.
Keystone/Damian Dovarganes
Hurricanes that originate in the Pacific often reach Mexico, but not California. Governor Gavin Newsom has now declared a state of emergency for large parts of Southern California.
From hurricane to tropical storm
The storm was previously classified as a Category 4 hurricane (out of 5), but weakened to a Category 1 tropical storm on its journey to Baja California, where it arrived on Sunday, according to the Mexican Weather Service. The weather service predicted very heavy to heavy rain for the Mexican peninsula and the north-east of the country. Strong winds and high waves are also to be expected.
According to the information, the wind speeds of “Hilary” were recently 110 kilometers per hour. But the storm remains dangerous. According to media reports, “Hilary” has already claimed two lives. A man was killed in flooding along the Pacific coast of northwestern Mexico, the newspaper El Universal wrote. Another person died trying to cross a river in a town in Baja California, according to the Milenio newspaper.
Preparations in California
California authorities asked residents near the coast or higher up to evacuate their homes. Nature parks, various beaches and schools have been closed and sporting events have been postponed. You have to be prepared for power outages.
California Director of Disaster Management Nancy Ward warned that “Hilary” could be one of the “most devastating storms” to hit the state in over a decade. “Hilary” is now moving on through the state of California towards Nevada. He will lose strength on his land journey, but can still cause a great deal of destruction.