1692557067 California is on high alert for Tropical Storm Hilary

Tropical Storm Hilary causes classes in Los Angeles to be suspended due to heavy rain

Long Beach residents fill sacks with sand in preparation for possible flooding from the storm.Long Beach residents fill sacks with sand in preparation for possible flooding from the storm. CAROLINE BREHMAN (EFE)

Hilary’s arrival in California has forced the suspension of classes in the south of the United States’ most populous state. The country’s second-largest school district, with nearly half a million students, has suspended activities for this Monday due to the arrival of tropical storm that has claimed at least one life as it makes its way through Mexico’s Baja California region. Hilary entered US territory a few minutes after 5:00 p.m. local time and will bring heavy rain to the greater Los Angeles area beginning midnight and throughout Monday. The California government has declared a state of emergency, urging residents to take all necessary precautions against possible flooding in the state’s desert counties.

Los Angeles school district superintendent Alberto Carvalho has reported that the worst tropical storm will hit the city at midnight. “This does not leave enough time to inspect our schools” the officer pointed out, who stressed that the severe storm has prompted state and local authorities to sign declarations of emergency that apply to Southern California. The winds are expected to affect the city of Los Angeles’ transportation network, causing power outages and closures of streets and avenues that “could endanger students and staff.” The system includes nearly half a million students aged four to eighteen.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the declaration of emergency Saturday when Hillary was still a Category 2 hurricane. In the last few hours, the weather phenomenon has lost strength and expanded into a tropical storm with wind speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. However, Hilary has put on high alert after the National Hurricane Center (CNH) determined the rains could cause “catastrophic and life-threatening” flooding. As of this Sunday morning, the storm was about 350 kilometers from the city of San Diego.

Hilary has picked up steam in her approach to the United States. On Saturday, the hurricane was moving at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour, but in the past few hours it has started To about 40 kilometers per hour, according to CNH. The increased pace means more area is being covered, helping the rains reach communities in western Arizona and southern Nevada. These are places where rainfall is low on average, and Hilary can leave two years’ worth of rain in a matter of hours.

The forecast has hundreds of residents preparing for possible showers. Especially in communities in Southwest California. In Palm Springs, the popular resort town 170 kilometers east of Los Angeles, hundreds of residents filled sandbags throughout Saturday to prevent unusual flood waters from entering their homes. Authorities are not ruling out the closure of the freeways leading to Death Valley and Joshua Tree natural parks.

The same scene could be seen in coastal cities like Long Beach and San Pedro south of Los Angeles. The Weather Service has determined that there is only a 5% chance of coastal flooding. However, the cities were the target of the last tropical storm to reach California soil. The meteorological phenomenon known as El Cordonazo de San Francisco left 48 dead and dozens missing in September 1939.

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The state government has mobilized approximately 7,500 elements of the California National Guard to assist the population with preventive tasks and rescue operations when needed. Of these, around 350 soldiers and 24 amphibious vehicles are already stationed at the first point of attack of the storm. “My entire administration is poised to respond to this unprecedented storm,” Newsom said Saturday.

Some coastal trains connecting Los Angeles to San Diego have been temporarily suspended. About 2,000 workers on the state’s highway network have installed pumps to prevent flooding on roads in areas like Orange County, home to 3.1 million people.

Local authorities have closed 10 public parks in Southern California and four beaches in Orange and San Diego counties, prompting the cancellation of camping reservations for hundreds of people and the cancellation of concerts and public events, including at Los Angeles’ popular Hollywood Bowl. The presence of public security forces and lifeguards in coastal towns has been increased. “People are advised not to go into the sea during the storm,” the state government said.

Phone and internet companies have warned their users that there could be service cuts in the coming hours. The same was warned by the state company in charge of the electricity grid. The professional baseball and soccer leagues MLB and MLS have postponed their games for Sunday.

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