TRANSCRIPT
The United States National Hurricane Centre predicts Tropical Storm Hilary will unleash flooding across a broad region of the southwestern states and remain a tropical storm as it swirls north into Nevada.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says her city is making preparations and has asked people to “stay home.”
“Over the past few days, the city family has been working around the clock to prepare for the storm, and we are just beginning to see it hit Los Angeles. Our message today is clear: Stay safe, stay home, and stay informed. This is an unprecedented weather event, but Los Angeles has deep experience responding to crisis.”
Chief Kristin Crowley, from the Los Angeles Fire Department, says the storm poses major problems:
"Now, this storm is expected to have significant impacts within the area, which will include flash flooding, coastal flooding as well as erosion, dangerous rip currents and high seas, damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds and unanchored mobile homes. Damage to large trees. Damage to fencing and roadway signs. Roads may become impassable from debris.”
Parts of California, Nevada and Arizona that are unaccustomed to rain could suddenly receive a year’s worth or more.
Director of the National Hurricane Centre Michael Brennan says rainfall is going to be the biggest hazard from this storm.
“We continue to be very concerned about the potential for life-threatening flash flooding, potentially catastrophic impacts. We have a moderate risk of flash flooding over places like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, to the east of Bakersfield, up into central Nevada. And a broad, slight risk with that potentially heavy rainfall moving all the way up into portions of the northern Rockies and into the eastern portions of the Pacific Northwest.”
More than nine million people, including those in downtown Los Angeles, are under a flash flood warning issued by the National Weather Service.
The storm has already swept through Mexico's Baja California, where resident Carlos Ayala says they're simply not prepared for weather like this.
“Well, the reality is that here in Ensenada it is very rare whenever we are told that there is going to be a storm like this one. The reality is that it does not come, maybe a little rain, but we are not used to it, here that kind of storm does not come, and maybe that is why they look at us very relaxed. I am from Ensenada, I am 45 years old, and the reality is that we have a very good climate. We are not used to this.”
At least one death is already attributed to the storm.
A person died when their vehicle was swept away near Santa Rosalía in Mexico, along the Baja California Peninsula.
In the U-S state of California, residents have watched the storm hitting Mexico and admit to feelings of fear.
Eugenie Adler lives in Long Beach, California:
“I'm expecting a storm that will dump a lot of rain. I'm aware that it's not going to be a hurricane, it's going to be a tropical storm. And again, I'm just worried about flooding, people's lives primarily. And of course, flooding where people lose some property is one thing, but flooding where people die is another. And I'm afraid people might die. So I want everybody to stay home and not, you know, go out and think it's fun to be out there and just stay safe."
