Cathedral City Fire Chief: People ‘Trapped’ in Their Homes Due to Flooding and Debris

Residents trapped in their home peer out a window while waiting for help in Yucaipa, Calif
JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Some California residents remain “trapped” in their homes due to the mass flooding and debris flow caused by Tropical Storm Hilary, which swept through the southern portion of the state Sunday.

Cathedral City, California, Fire Chief Michael Contreras spoke to CNN on Monday and said that people remain trapped in their homes in the aftermath of the storm due to “debris flow” as well as mud.

“Now, we are going to go house-to-house and making sure that the people who want to get out can get out … Right now, they are trapped for all intents and purposes,” he said, urging residents to give first responders time to clear the roads and make it safe.

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“If you don’t need to get out, give us some time, and we will get the tractors and the manpower, and we will clear the streets,” he promised, noting that rescue crews have been able to free seven people who were trapped.

Cathedral City is just a short drive from Palm Springs, which also experienced mass flooding from the storm. As Breitbart News noted, “Hilary dropped more than half an average year’s worth of rain on some areas, including Palm Springs, which saw nearly 3.18 inches (8 centimeters) of rain by Sunday evening.”

Hilary has since been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

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