A magnitude-5.1 earthquake hit Southern California on Sunday, rocking Los Angeles and the surrounding area at the same time it was dealing with rare tropical storm in Hurricane Hilary—which hasn’t hit the L.A. area since 1939.
Centered near Ojai, about 80 miles northwest of L.A., the earthquake produced at least six reported aftershocks of magnitude-3.0 or more.
There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries, according to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time for SoCal residents.
Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall Sunday on the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, with floodwaters overwhelming streets. Heavy rain forced flash-flood warnings for at least 9 million people ahead of the worst of the storm.
By 2:00 p.m., the National Hurricane Center was still warning of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” across the southwestern United States, with “peak intensity” expected late Sunday into Monday.
The National Weather Service said that the core of the storm hit the California coast sometime before 3 p.m. when it crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.
The hurricane’s high winds thrashed Southern California, with a 72-mph gust being recorded at Hauser Mountain near the border. The National Weather Service even issued a tornado warning in San Diego County on Sunday afternoon until 4:00 p.m., advising the possibility of pea-sized hail in Alpine and Descanso.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a partial roof collapse at an apartment building and at least one water rescue, the chief revealed at a press conference Sunday. At least 15 reports of flooding have been fielded by the city, and at least 5,000 households are without power, according to the Department of Water and Power.
Hilary’s path is expected to keep north, likely hitting Las Vegas around 8:00 p.m. local time and moving towards northern Nevada well into Monday morning.
Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned residents that the storm is just beginning.
“We haven’t seen the strength of the rain just yet,” Bass said at a press conference Sunday. “We know that it could get much worse. People might feel a little okay because it hasn’t been that bad.”
“The wind has not yet arrived,” Newsom added. “And that’s coming right behind.”
Both Newsom and Bass pleaded with affected Californians to stay home. But Newsom lauded the state’s preparation and response efforts, saying that in “This state, this is what we prepare for.”
He even expressed some gratitude to a longtime political rival.
“We have two people that came from Florida—thank you Ron DeSantis for sending two hurricane experts into the operation centers… it is one remarkable moment in time,” Newsom said.
Los Angeles public schools have already been cancelled, the Unified School District Superintendent Sunday.
“Everything will be shut down,” Alberto Carvalho said, adding that he expects schools to be open fully on Tuesday.
The shocking phenomenon took social media by storm, with the hashtag #hurriquake trending on Twitter just minutes after the quake was reported.
