Coachella Valley inundated with mud, drivers trapped in flash floods during Tropical Storm Hilary
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KABC) -- Large swaths of Southern California bore the brunt of Tropical Storm Hilary, including Cathedral City, Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley, where several roads and neighborhoods were inundated with flash flooding and mud flows.
AIR7 HD surveyed the area Monday morning and captured footage of the damage left behind by the storm.
The stark views included a trapped RV on the 10 Freeway, just south of Palm Drive in Palm Springs. The vehicle was surrounded by a thick layer of mud with at least two people stuck inside.
A stretch of the freeway was shut down on both sides overnight due to flooding. According to Caltrans, the closure was in effect from Haugen Lehmann to Bob Hope.
By Monday afternoon, some lanes of the westbound side began moving.
In other parts of the Coachella Valley, aerials captured several cars that appeared to have been pressed against homes, also surrounded by mud.
In Palm Springs, a local state of emergency was declared Sunday due "unprecedented rainfall and flooding of local roadways and at least one swift water rescue," according to officials.
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain posted on social media Sunday afternoon that Palm Springs "recorded its heaviest hourly rainfall on record, and intense tropical downpours could continue for hours in the Coachella Valley."
The city of Indio followed suit by declaring its own local emergency late Sunday night, saying the storm has "threatened local infrastructure and public health and safety."
On Monday morning, Cathedral City also issued a local emergency declaration. The California National Guard said that its 330th Military Police Company responded to Cathedral City and Palm Springs to aid the fire departments during rescue operations.
The swift moving mud flow smashed into everything in its path, including a Mobil gas station and other nearby businesses. A train was also derailed by flooding and debris. Firefighters then rescued the trapped engineers.
As flash flooding washed across Cathedral City with devastating force Sunday, some drivers were trapped in their vehicles for hours.
"There was a lot of rain," said resident Yvonne Cabrera. "We were hoping the pool wouldn't overflow, because it got scary there for a little bit."
Most of the damage, fortunately done to the outsides of homes.
One family of four rode out the storm on their car.
"We were climbing on the roof because the current was so strong around us," said Luis Ramirez.
But it would be a while before they were rescued.
"I called 911 around 30 times, but we just on getting the same answers: hold on, don't be scared... It was hard," he added.
City News Service contributed to this report.
