Hurricane Hilary makes landfall in California, during a 5.1 earthquake

Heavy rains, winds of up to 75 km per hour, the nightmare of floods. Fortunately, the earthquake caused no damage

Editorial board

An intense weather disturbance is advancing across the Southern Californiafor a total of over 26 million people affected by flood warnings. Although no longer a hurricane but has been downgraded to a tropical storm, Hilary brought torrential rains (More rain fell in one hour in Palm Springs than in its entire history). Shortly before his arrival, still in California, there was an earthquake earthquake of magnitude 5.1 which fortunately did not cause significant damage.

earthquake alarm

Earthquake shocks were felt at Los Angeles and in the surrounding areas. The initial shock was followed by two aftershocks, respectively of magnitude 3.1 and 3.6 each. Fortunately, they didn’t cause any major damage. However, Hilary’s pass led to a string of flooding in different areas. Of particular concern is the possibility of flash floods which are affecting a large area extending from Point Mugu and Camarillo east through Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills to the Los Angeles mountains. The consequences are tangible: cars stuck, thousands of people evacuated, schools closed, buildings without energy and services. Fire brigade teams are engaged in rescue operations to deal with the emergency situation. This scenario involves a population of over seven million people located in an area considered high risk. The warning remains in force until today, Monday 21 August.

strong winds

In Southern California, the core of Tropical Storm Hilary slammed into Los Angeles with winds exceeding 75km per hour, as reported by CNN. The winds generated by Hilary extend over a very large area, with an overall reach of about 350 kilometers from the center of the storm. The whole area was therefore subjected to a weather alert.

the central government takes action

The problems don’t end there. The storm in fact pushes north and could lead to a unprecedented eventrepresenting the first tropical system ever recorded a hit Nevada. “This afternoon,” said US President Joe Biden, “I spoke with California Governor Gavin Newsom about the ongoing emergency preparedness measures and initial response to Tropical Storm Hilary. I continue to be briefed on preparedness efforts and on the potential impact of the storm, including flooding. My Administration stands ready to provide additional assistance as needed,” he added.



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