Tropical Storm Solary Causes Flash Floods In California, Governor Announces Emergency

Illustration of flooding in California. (Wikimedia Commons/btwhat)

JAKARTA - The Tropical Storm that hit California caused flash floods in eastern and western Los Angeles on Sunday, after previously crossing the California Steel Peninsula in Mexico with lethal force.

One person died in Mexico due to flash floods on the peninsula, where several roads were swept away and images on social media showed a swift flow of water flowing into the streets of the city turning into rivers.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for much of Southern California, with flash flood warnings valid until at least Monday in areas more accustomed to the drought.

The first tropical storm to hit Los Angeles County since 1939, sparked flooding in the San Gabriel Mountains, east of the city and coastal areas in the northwest of Ventura County.

Meanwhile, San Bernardino County ordered the evacuation of a number of cities in the mountains and valleys where there were bursts of water, mud, stones and trees.

In Wrightwood, California, about 70 miles (112 km) northeast of Los Angeles, rain swept trees and mud down the hill in Ngarai Seringan. Further east of Oak Glen, one of five cities in San Bernardino County under evacuation orders, water due to floods threw trees, mud and stones into the air.

While in the more populous Ventura County, the National Weather Service warns of life-threatening flooding, where rainfall up to 2 inches (5 cm) falls within two hours. Weather services reported cars stuck in Spanish Hills settlements, where firefighters said they had made a rescue.

Newsom's governor on tour to Southern California said Palm Springs, a desert vacation spot intensify County about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles, was dry when he left on Sunday. But an hour later it had received "the most significant rainfall" in Palm Springs history, causing the roads to be submerged.

"That's how fast this system moves. Don't take it lightly," the Governor of Newsom told a news conference in Los Angeles, saying he had notified US President Joe Biden.

Separately, a violent storm shocked people in the nearby town of Rancho Mirage, where water and debris flowed heavily into a closed road. One pickup truck was stranded due to being trapped by the flood.

"It's amazing. I've never seen anything like this," said Sean Julian (54) of Rancho Mirage.

"I saw more fallen trees. And there was a large tree that just fell there, and I probably shouldn't be here," he said.

As a result of this, hundreds of flights in San Diego, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles were canceled. Meanwhile, professional sporting events are rescheduled.