San Diego floods due to heavy rains caused state of emergency

The government has announced a state of emergency due to floods owing to heavy rains at multiple locations in San Diego. It is experiencing catastrophic flooding after the severe winter storms.

Winter storms in relatively dry San Diego are haphazard, but the impact of a Pacific winter storm from Jan 22, 2024, surprised San Diego with heavy winter blasts and violent rain. San Diego is the second largest city in California state.

Winter storms for relatively dry San Diego are hit-or-miss, but mostly miss. So the wallop of a Pacific front on Monday stunned California's second-largest city even as it was expecting rain. https://t.co/OkgRB18V6J
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 23, 2024

The mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria, has issued a state of emergency due to roughly 3 inches of rain. He informed it on his X Twitter account. He wrote he had declared a state of emergency in San Diego due to extreme rainfall and flash floods.

I have declared a state of emergency in the City of San Diego due to extreme rainfall and flash flooding.

Check here for the latest road closures, evacuations and more: https://t.co/sJyh2weuRt

Please stay safe. Stay home if possible and never attempt to travel on flooded roads.
— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) January 23, 2024

It was the third Pacific storm to hit the West Coast since Jan 19, 2024. It resulted in bringing about one-third of an inch of mild rain. However, it was light rain but submerged San Diego under water.

The National Weather Service said San Diego had its wettest January day on record. The flood heavily impacted Tijuana and other regions of northern Baja California. US Customs and Border Protection officials and San Diego Fire Department rescuers saved at least eight migrants from floods in the Tijuana River Valley on the US side.

Click here to read the updates on the Argentina storm and heavy winds that killed several people

According to NBC San Diego, a fire crew rescued residents in the southeast of downtown as standing water quickly overtook their apartment complex. However, they reported no injuries or casualties.

According to Navy Base San Diego, a thick rain cloud moved south of downtown late this morning and caused flooding. Several streets and Highway 5, which goes to Las Vegas, were so deep in water. So, authorities had to close it off.

The California Transportation Department has closed off east of Oceanside, in the northern part of San Diego County. They also closed eastbound lanes due to flash flooding.