The City of San Diego declared a state of emergency Monday as extreme rainfall caused flash flooding throughout the jurisdiction.
Monday was the wettest January day on record for the Southern California city, with more than four inches of rain landing northeast of downtown, according to AccuWeather. A video shared by the outlet shows a river of water rushing through the roadways, carrying at least one vehicle along with it.
🚨 San Diego declared a state of emergency as extreme rainfall and flash flooding hit the city on Monday evening.
This marked the wettest January day on record at the airport, and over 4 inches of rain was recorded to the NE of downtown. pic.twitter.com/m2VYEdqGyL
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) January 23, 2024
Hundreds of rescue took place throughout the day, particularly in flooded homes in the Southcrest neighborhood, Fox5 reported. Authorities carried out an additional 24 rescues in the Tijuana and San Diego Rivers and along flooded roadways, where motorists were stranded in their cars.
The rainfall was caused by a major storm system, which could last through February, meteorologist Kaylan Patel said on Twitter. But of course, this was the perfect opportunity for some Californians to hop on their bikes and paddle boards and go for a ride, as seen in a collection of videos shared online.
🚨 Massive Flooding In San Diego
The City of San Diego declared a state of emergency due to a storm that caused massive flooding throughout the city.
Some adventurous people are making the best out of a bad situation. pic.twitter.com/vK5Se2Ufcd
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 23, 2024
“Our emergency responders will continue to address the impacts around the clock,” Mayor Todd Gloria said, following the activation of San Diego’s Emergency Operations Center. “The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at Lincoln High School for residents who have been displaced by the flooding. I strongly urge residents to please avoid any flooded areas and any unnecessary travel.”
San Diego’s mayor declared a state of emergency after days of heavy rain and severe flooding. @alroker tracks the latest severe weather. pic.twitter.com/ktOTMaZ1mL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 23, 2024
At least three months’ worth of rain is believed to have fallen in just six hours, ABC’s Today reported early Tuesday morning. And the system isn’t done yet. (RELATED: Videos Show Floods, Snow Causing Mass Damage And Chaos In California)
Heavy storms are also anticipated to move up and out of the southwest through to the northeast as the week progresses, bringing rainfall to large swaths of the continent. It’ll then get surprisingly warm on the lower half of the east coast as a massive storm develops in central Texas through Alabama.
