Aerial footage of Los Angeles has revealed the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Hilary – the first tropical storm to hit the area since 1939. Shocking images from a helicopter show the LA Dodgers stadium surrounded by rising floodwaters, though the area surrounding the field itself seems to have escaped relatively unscathed.
The footage, which was posted on Instagram by user dodgeraerial and subsequently shared across other platforms, has sparked a response from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who told MLB.com that the top priority is ensuring safety during this “unprecedented” weather event.
“This is crazy. I mean, a hurricane in southern California – that’s very unprecedented,” he declared. “ So I just want to make sure we get ahead of it, people stay safe and then it passes us by.” With the effects of climate change becoming ever more apparent, never has it been more pressing to take action and ensure that we do what we can to protect our planet and its inhabitants from the impact of severe weather events like this one.
Southern California is under a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Hilary threatens to make history. Meteorologist Elizabeth Adams told the LA Times that this is the first time tropical storm watches have been issued on the West Coast.
Following its landfall in Mexico over the weekend, Hilary moved north up the California coastline before being downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone early Monday morning. Governor Gavin Newsom immediately declared a state of emergency, ordering flash flood warnings until 3am local time Monday.
Forecasters predict five to ten inches of rain – an amount rarely seen in desert areas – leaving Southern Californians with one question: is this threat really over? Unfortunately, Mayor Karen Bass affirms that it may not be: even if residents dodge the initial damage from Hilary, parts of the storm system may regroup and strike again.
This brings home the stark reality that help is needed now more than ever. The West Coast has never faced such an immediate and pressing threat from a storm – California needs your support.
Los Angeles Mayor, Ms. Bass, warned Angelinos on Sunday to stay at home and avoid unnecessary travel in light of an unprecedented weather event set to take place in less than 24 hours. During the press conference, Bass acknowledged that the situation could worsen if citizens weren’t taking the necessary precautions.
“My concern is that people will be a little dismissive and go out when we need people to stay at home, to stay safe,” Bass said, according to Reuters.
Bass impressed on the importance of having an emergency kit and essential devices on hand, and all devices fully-charged should a life-threatening emergencypresent itself. The National Weather Service reported that the centre of the storm is set to cross Nevada in rapid fashion on Monday before dissipating sometime today.
Mayor Bass said: “It is critical that Angelenos stay safe and stay home unless otherwise directed by safety officials.” Let us heed her advice and work together towards staying safe.