Flood prep: Coachella Valley cities provide sandbags for residents

Coachella Valley cities were preparing Friday for potentially dangerous conditions in the area due to Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to impact the area with rain, flooding and high winds.

“Based on forecasts, this appears to be a dangerous storm. We want the public to prepare now,” Riverside County director of the Emergency Management Department (EMD) Bruce Barton said in a statement. “If you encounter a road that’s flooded, never try to walk or drive through it.”

Sandbags and sandbag assembly stations to help residents prepare for potential flooding will be available at several fire stations throughout the Coachella Valley including at:

• 65958 Pierson Blvd. in Desert Hot Springs;

• 277 North Indian Ave., 300 North El Cielo Drive, 590 East Racquet Club Drive, 1300 La Verne Way, and 5800 Bolero Road in Palm Springs;

• 32100 Desert Vista in Cathedral City;

• 71751 Gerald Ford Drive, Rancho Mirage;

• 73995 Country Club Drive, 44400 Town Center Way, and 73200 Mesa View Drive in Palm Desert;

• 44900 Eldorado Drive in Indian Wells;

• 54001 Madison St. and 44555 Adams St. in La Quinta;

• 46990 Jackson St., 46621 Madison St., 81-025 Avenue 40, and 42-900 Golf Center Parkway in Indio;

Other locations include:

• The pit on El Cielo Road behind Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way;

• Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory, 71100 Highway 111;

• La Quinta City Hall, 78495 Calle Tampico;

• La Quinta Corporate Yard, 78106 Francis Hack Lane;

• Indio City Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive;

• Coachella Senior Center, 1540 Seventh Street;

• Coachella Corporate Yard, 53462 Enterprise Way;

Hours for sandbag pick-ups and assemblies will vary per city.

The storm is expected to yield as much as seven inches of rain in areas of Riverside County, which could potentially lead to flash flooding as well as mud and debris flows, according to a statement from Riverside County, which also said that the Coachella Valley and recent burn areas are the most susceptible.

Residents in the Coachella Valley should expect me showers Saturday, heavier rainfall Sunday through the evening and the heaviest rainfall Monday morning, according to Palm Springs communications director Amy Blaisdell.

Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alavarado also advised residents to take precautions such as avoiding driving during heavy rain and dangerous conditions, staying off bridges over fast moving water, staying inside a car if it’s trapped in rapidly moving water, getting on the roof of a car if water is rising inside, avoiding flood waters and signing up for the city’s public safety alerts.

“Residents should know that rain/flood waters can be dangerous and that as little as one inch of water can move a car,” Palm Springs Emergency Manager Daniel DeSelms said in a statement, adding that residents should avoid driving during heavy rain.

More information about the upcoming storm can be round at rivcoready.org/active-events. Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at rivcoready.org/alert-rivco.

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