Hurricane + Earthquake = Hurriquake? For the first time in over 84 years, California experienced a tropical storm, one that threatened to flood the entirety of Southern California. Hurricane Hilary was an unprecedented event for the area of Los Angeles, bringing along with it heavy rain storms and fierce winds. Contrary to popular belief, California was not directly struck by the Category 4 hurricane, but instead by a remnant storm that broke off from the main eye of the hurricane down south in Mexico. San Marino was generally spared from the fury of the storm, receiving roughly 3.6 inches of rain, but the sudden rain was enough for flash flood warnings to be issued and businesses to be temporarily closed. A multitude of neighboring cities including Glendale and Burbank experienced intense flooding, causing massive mudslides and resulting in major damage to personal property. This prompted many schools in the Los Angeles area to close down on Monday with even South Pasadena, our local neighbors, following suit.
Along with the Hurricane, California was also struck by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake in Ojai at 2:41 pm on Sunday, an event that caused several students to panic. “I was about to use the toilet when the earthquake happened and I just suddenly felt the floor just start shaking. I was freaking out and I ended up just hiding in my shower,” Tristan Hong, 11, said. “Thankfully, the shaking only lasted like three seconds so I was fine in the end.” According to experts, this was the first ever simultaneous earthquake and hurricane, leading many to dub the event as a “hurriquake.” “Very large low-pressure changes associated with major storm systems (typhoons, hurricanes, etc) are known to trigger episodes of fault slip (slow earthquakes) in the Earth’s crust and may also play a role in triggering some damaging earthquakes,” the United States Geological Survey said.
While Hurricane Hilary did not wreak as much devastation as some expected, it still marked a monumental moment for Californian history. Being the first hurricane-level disaster in California in almost a century, it was undoubtedly a brand new experiences for all residents in the SoCal area. Overall, the hurricane was a testament to the stability and resilience of California even in near impossible circumstances.
