Monday’s downpour hit Tijuana just as hard as San Diego — closing roads, downing power lines and flooding neighborhoods. Hundreds of people were left without electricity, according to the city’s fire department.
Firefighters made more than 70 rescues Monday, including multiple motorists whose vehicles were carried away by strong flash floods. However, no deaths were reported by Tuesday afternoon.
Due to the city’s crumbling infrastructure, even mild storms cause dangerous flooding in Tijuana. And the city’s topography, which mostly consists of steep canyons, makes it particularly vulnerable to flash floods.
Videos circulating on social media showed Tijuana in chaos — cars swept away by a strong current; people’s entire possessions under water.
Public schools were closed Monday. However, firefighters had to evacuate a private school that stayed open. Students were taken from the flooded school to a nearby shelter. No one was injured.
Some working-class neighborhoods in the bottom of those canyons were virtually inaccessible Monday, according to Fire Chief Rafael Carrillo.
“There are some neighborhoods and roads without communication,” Carrillo said during a news conference on Monday.
During that same news conference, Mayor Monserrat Caballero told Tijuana residents to stay indoors during the storm. “Do not leave unless you absolutely have to,” she said.
In anticipation of Monday’s storm, Tijuana’s Public Works Department cleared storm drains from trash during the weekend. Still trash and other debris like couches, refrigerators and stoves clogged several storm drains, officials said.
Tuesday morning, Tijuana firefighters continued to assess the damage. They also checked in on neighborhoods that were inaccessible during the storm.
