Tropical Storm Hilary damages top $126M in Riverside County, damage still being assessed
The damage left from Tropical Storm Hilary is currently estimated more than $126 million throughout all of Riverside County, officials said. The storm heavily impacted the Coachella Valley.
Rainfall rates approached a 50-year storm for the Coachella Valley floor areas and in excess to a 1,000 year event in some mountain canyon areas.
Damage estimates from cities and unincorporated areas continue to be compiled by the County of Riverside Emergency Management Department. The County of Riverside will seek assistance from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) for disaster recovery.
“Hurricane Hilary has caused upwards of $100 million in damage throughout Riverside County, with the most impact on the Coachella Valley, and this number may grow as we continue to assess the damage,” said Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez.
“This tropical storm was real, our agencies and communities prepared for it and took it seriously, and we pre-positioned equipment and resources in the Coachella Valley. This is a natural disaster that caused significant damage to the 10 Freeway, to county roadways and to most of our Coachella Valley cities. We urge all valley cities to report their damages to the Riverside County Emergency Management Department, so that we can seek the necessary resources and assistance to help our communities recover. For the safety of drivers and the crews who are out restoring roads, we ask the community to respect the safety guidance and road closures.”
- Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez
Historically, the February 14, 2019 storm was among the most costly in Riverside County history. Damages from that storm exceeded $73 million.
Damage categories include (not a complete listing)*:
- $82,772,375 – Roads and Bridges
- Officials said N Indian Canyon Drive, a key roadway in and out of Palm Springs, will remain closed for two months due to the damage from the storm
- In Cathedral City alone, city officials tell News Channel 3 that they have estimated more than $25 million in just public damages. The Panorama neighborhood near Date Palm and Vista Chino was buried by several feet of mud.
- Officials said N Indian Canyon Drive, a key roadway in and out of Palm Springs, will remain closed for two months due to the damage from the storm
- $25,783,000 – Water Control Facilities
- That includes the flooding on the I-10 freeway that left the freeway closed for hours Sunday night into Monday and damages to bridges like the Pierson Bridge in Desert Hot Springs.
- $16,628,417 – Individual Assistance (Private Property)
- $6,151,905 – Debris Removal
- $3,417,077 – Emergency Protective Measures
All numbers are subject to change as additional damages are discovered, county officials noted.
“This is truly a devastating disaster,” noted Emergency Management Department Director Bruce Barton “But for all the damage, it’s important to note that early on we encouraged residents to prepare. Residents took our warnings seriously and we had no reported loss of life. We have a lot of work to do to recover from Hilary, but minimizing loss of life is what is most important.”
Residents and businesses can report damages via an online form at RivCoReady.org/ActiveEvents or by calling 2-1-1.
On Monday, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors is meeting to ratify an emergency proclamation.
