Flooded streets in Palm Springs, California.
Photo: REUTERS
Weather disasters continue to hit North America. The apocalyptic wildfires in the Hawaiian Islands, which left only ash, became one of the largest environmental disasters in United States history. Tropical storm Hilary has hit the west coast of the United States.
Raging winds of up to 177 km/h have presented California authorities with an unprecedented threat, forcing residents to flee coastal areas and indefinitely close beaches and parks. Earlier, the storm hit Mexico and caused flooding in the Bahia Peninsula. In the cities of Tijuana and Ensenada, in the northwest of the country, all ceremonial acts and classes in schools were canceled, and temporary accommodation centers were opened in sports complexes and government offices.
The storm severely damaged the energy infrastructure of the West Coast of the United States.
Photo: REUTERS
Heavy rains from the storm pose a risk of “catastrophic and life-threatening” flooding in parts of California, Nevada and Arizona, according to the US National Weather Service. At least nine rainfall records have been broken there in the past 24 hours. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and have asked all residents to leave the coastal areas.
The Los Angeles area, where more than 9 million people are at risk of flash flooding, has already received 1.5 inches of rain, surpassing the 1906 record. Desert areas of the state have never seen such flooding. Meteorologists say that in just one day the annual rain fell here. Fearing an impending natural disaster, Americans are sweeping store shelves. Sandbags, once used for beach vacations, are now becoming a kind of protective barrier against a possible flood.
Military equipment is being brought into the region in an attempt by the authorities to soften Hilary’s blow. At the same time, meteorologists are warning of extreme dangers yet to be faced: rip currents, deadly landslides, and even tornadoes. Most airlines have canceled their flights and national parks have been sealed off in anticipation of an end to the confrontation with the relentless elements.
It should be noted that tropical hurricanes are extremely rare in California and neighboring states. The previous Storm Nora hit Imperial County in 1997, and before it struck Long Beach 84 years ago, in 1939. To make matters worse, an unforeseen magnitude 5.1 earthquake also struck the California coast that night.
Meanwhile, the United States is preparing for possible flooding, Canada has been ravaged by the most extensive forest fires in history, where some 140,000 square kilometers have already burned. There are more than 1,000 active outbreaks in the country, including more than 600 in the Northwest Territories. Hardest hit are residents of the province of British Columbia, whose authorities have already declared a state of emergency.
Streams of water in the national park “Death Valley”.
Photo: REUTERS
Although wildfires are not considered uncommon in Canada, such deregistration momentarily depleted federal resources and forced the government to turn to 13 countries for help. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even called in the military to extinguish the fire, as the Emergency Situations Ministry was unable to control the angry elements.
More than 35,000 Canadians have already been ordered to evacuate. The main focus of the fires is now concentrated around Kelowna, a city 300km east of Vancouver with a population of nearly 150,000. Earlier, the fire swept through Yellowknife with a population of 20 thousand people, after which all the townspeople had to evacuate their homes. Smoke from the Canadian fires has once again caused air pollution over the United States.
