Hilary floods portions of Riverside County; cleanup underway following deluge

Tropical Storm Hilary moved out of Riverside County on Monday, but the heavy rain Sunday and overnight caused severe flooding in parts of the Coachella Valley, leaving some residents with no way in or out of their city.

As of Monday morning, Interstate 10 eastbound was closed from Haugen-Lehman Way to slightly past Monterey Avenue. The closure was due to mudslides in the eastern Coachella Valley, according to California Highway Patrol public information officer Jason Montez. He said eastbound traffic was being turned around, and it was unknown how long the closure might last.

Officials with the city of Desert Hot Springs initially reported at around 7:30 a.m. Monday that there was no way in or out of the city due to all the road closures in the area, but by 9:45 a.m., Palm Drive to Interstate 10, Indian Canyon Drive from Pierson Boulevard to Interstate 10 and westbound Interstate 10 reopened.

A few roads in Palm Springs also reopened, including outbound Highway 111 to westbound Interstate 10, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.

The Palm Springs, Coachella Valley and Desert Sands unified school districts all canceled classes Monday. Only essential staff will report to work and assess damage and perform necessary repairs, CVUSD officials said. Desert Mirage High School, 86150 66th Ave. in Thermal, was operating as a temporary shelter for families displaced from their homes by the storm.

The city of Palm Springs issued a local emergency declaration Sunday afternoon as downpours from the storm inundated roadways and led to wide-scale road closures. The city of Indio followed suit late Sunday night, saying the storm has “threatened local infrastructure and public health and safety.” Cathedral City also issued a local emergency declaration.

Mud inundated some streets in Cathedral City, and video from the scene showed multiple vehicles trapped in the muck, including at least one recreational vehicle. The mud also pushed against multiple homes, but the extent of damage to those homes was unclear.

One family told ABC7 they got stranded in the mud and spent much of the night on top of their swamped vehicle until crews were able to bring them to safety.

The California National Guard reported Monday morning that its 330th Military Police Company responded to Cathedral City and Palm Springs to aid the fire departments during rescue operations.

Nearby Palm Desert also reported an array of road closures due to flooding. Video from other cities in the area showed cars swamped with floodwater, but there were no immediate reports of injuries associated with the storm.

Hilary brought rain to the county well ahead of the storm even making landfall in Southern California. But once it did reach land Sunday afternoon, the rain intensified and storm conditions worsened. National Weather Service forecasters warned residents that potentially dangerous flooding was likely, and there was even a slight chance of tornadoes developing in the area.

“Hilary is now post-tropical with the remnant moisture spreading north of the area,” the NWS reported Monday morning. “Showers will diminish this morning with a chance of showers and thunderstorms for the mountains and deserts for this afternoon.”

A flood watch will be in effect until late Monday night for Riverside County mountains, the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning. The watch will expire at 10:15 a.m. Monday in Riverside County valleys.

An evacuation order was issued on Sunday around 9 a.m. for the Mias zone in the Apple-El Dorado burn scar, north of Banning and near the Morongo Reservation, according to the Riverside County Emergency Management Department.

A voluntary evacuation warning was issued for Highland Springs, Beaumont, Hemet, Banning and Reche Canyon Road in Colton ahead of the storm, according to the EMD.

All College of the Desert sites in Palm Desert were be closed Monday due to the storm. The college announced on social media that “Tropical Storm Hilary has flooded the area, including some campus facilities.”

No business will be conducted at any of the locations except for maintenance and campus safety, officials said.

In the Coachella Valley, several cities, including Palm Springs, which recorded 3 inches of rain Sunday, reported that 911 services were down, but PSPD reported Monday morning that calls were being routed to its call center.

Most of Riverside County received between 1.5 and 4 inches of rain over the 48-hour storm period, with some notable exceptions. Mount San Jacinto reported 11.74 inches, according to the NWS. More than 3.8 inches fell in Palm Desert, 3.23 inches at Palm Springs International Airport and 5.75 inches in Morongo Valley.

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a State of Emergency for much of Southern California to support the Hilary response and recovery efforts as the state continues mobilizing and coordinating resources ahead of the storm’s forecasted impacts.

The governor signed an emergency proclamation Saturday in San Diego while visiting with California National Guard troops. He met with first responders and local officials, including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. He was also in touch with federal officials, including the White House.

On Sunday morning, the Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-positioned supplies at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, and a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team deployed to the California Office of Emergency Services and was prepared to assist with any requests for federal assistance. Additional teams were on standby for deployment if necessary, officials said.

Care and reception centers were available at Desert Mirage High School at 86150 66th Ave. in Thermal and at the Banning Community Services Center at 789 N. San Gorgonio Ave., both open 24 hours.

Residents requiring help with their animals were encouraged to call the Riverside County Department of Animal Services at 951-358-7387.

Before Sunday, a tropical storm had not landed in Southern California since 1939.

Updated Aug. 21, 2023, 11:20 a.m.

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