Webdesk: Hurricane Hilary, dubbed the worst storm in more than a decade, began to make its presence felt in Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and the southwestern region of the country on Saturday, causing officials to issue a warning about “fatal and catastrophic flooding.
Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Nancy Ward stated that Hilary could be “one of the worst storms to strike the state in over a decade.”
The media in the United States quoted her as saying, “Do not err.” This storm is extremely hazardous and significant.
“The storm weakened from a Category 4 to a Category 2 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale on Saturday. But still considered capable of “extensive damage,” according to the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
The officials predicted that the effects of Hurricane Hilary would continue along the coast of Baja California until Sunday morning.
NHC remarked, “By Saturday afternoon, Hilary packing maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 kilometres per hour). With higher gusts.”
“Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding expected in portions of Baja California. As well as in the southwestern United States due to heavy rainfall,” it stated.
“The centre of Hurricane Hilary will move close to the west-central coast of the Baja California Peninsula tonight and Sunday morning. Then move across southern California Sunday afternoon and Sunday night,” the centre noted.
Even though the storm expected to weaken to a tropical storm before reaching southern California and southern Nevada. Heavy rainfall and inundation are still possible.
Threatening catastrophic inundation
Residents and employees in the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas have erected protective boarding and laid thousands of sandbags in response to the arrival of large waves.
Personnel from the military were observed patrolling the shoreline in the city, a popular destination for Mexican and foreign tourists.
The town of Todos Santos, located on the west coast of the peninsula, largely deserted on Saturday. While, The adjacent Cerritos beach closed due to rough waves.
“Last night we noticed the wind picking up; it wasn’t as strong as we had anticipated, but it still caused us concern,” said Marco Segura, a 57-year-old Cerritos worker.
The Mexican government has deployed nearly 19,000 soldiers to the states hardest hit by the storm. While, The federal electric utility has dispatched 800 personnel and hundreds of vehicles to address potential power outages.
The NHC predicts that portions of southern California and southern Nevada will receive between three and six inches of precipitation. With isolated quantities of ten inches.
“Dangerous to catastrophic flooding expected.”
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has deployed teams to areas targeted by Hurricane Hilary in advance of the storm. President Joe Biden has been receiving regular updates as he prepares to travel to Hawaii to assess the damage caused by a devastating wildfire.
Deanne Criswell, the head of FEMA, stated, “He has urged everyone to be aware of what this potentially dangerous storm could bring and to listen to their local officials about the steps they can take to ensure their safety.”
Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer have rescheduled Sunday matches in the United States.
