Watch: Tropical storm Hilary wreaks havoc in US, Mexico

The tropical storm made landfall along the Mexican coast in an area about 150 miles (250 kilometers) south of port of Ensenada. It then moved through Tijuana, a sprawling border metropolis of 1.9 million people, threatening the improvised homes that cling to hillsides just south of the US border.

Even as the storm is inundating streets and disrupting normal life in the US and Mexico, social media platforms are abuzz with videos showing the extent of damage the storm is leaving in its wake.

In a widely circulated video on X, formerly Twitter, from Baja California deadly waters can be seen inundating streets and stranding cars as the storm dumped several inches of rain on parts of the peninsula.

Hurricane Hilary brought heavy rain and flooding to Mexico and the southwestern U.S.

This is the situation in Baja California

pic.twitter.com/ijmqj13tYC

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 20, 2023

In an another video, floodwaters can be seen gushing down a street of Mexico , sweeping away whatever is coming in its way.

Footage from Hurricane Hillary in Mexico earlier today…

😳😳😳pic.twitter.com/BHjxT9bfhO

— Elon Musk (Parody) (@ElonMuskAOC) August 20, 2023

In the United States where the hurricane disrupted flights and sporting events even before it arrived, visuals from Palm Desert in California show trash and boulders gushing down a flooding road.

Flood waters filling up the washes in Palm Desert, CA. @weatherchannel @NWSSanDiego @TWCChrisWarren @TWCAlexWilson #Hilary #cawx pic.twitter.com/7bD0TLLl7D

— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) August 20, 2023

Fred Waring Dr. In Palm Desert, CA flooded with cars stranded and FD on the scene. @weatherchannel @TWCChrisWarren @TWCAlexWilson @NWSSanDiego #hilary pic.twitter.com/efxNJkSR1v

— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) August 20, 2023

Even as the hurricane has been causing catastrophic flooding in some areas, some handles on social media platform X have been making light of the situation.

Hurricane Hillary is coming…pic.twitter.com/hQ5XALI26G

— Elon Musk (Parody) (@ElonMuskAOC) August 19, 2023

In a clip shared on X, a car can be stranded in the floodwaters even as the area is blanketed with deadly waters.

TROPICAL STORM HILARY FLOODS PALM SPRINGS AREA
🎥 ABC7#HuracánHilary #HuracánHillary #HurricaneHilary #HurricaneHillary #Hilary #Hillary #PlamSprings #BajaCalifornia #BajaCaliforniaNorte #BajaCaliforniaSur #Hurricane #SanDiego #Mexico pic.twitter.com/8Mya67S0Fu

— Shadab Javed (@JShadab1) August 21, 2023

Effects of #HuracanHilary San Carlos #Mexico #HurricaneHilary #HurricaneHillary #Hurricane #BajaCaliforniaSur #BajaCalifornia #Baja #Hilary #Hilarry #SanDiego #LosAngeles pic.twitter.com/JfP1qNqUt3

— Shadab Javed (@JShadab1) August 20, 2023

Palm Springs, California is totally flooded #HurricaneHillary #Hilary pic.twitter.com/uohAEa3qza

— Eric Spracklen🇺🇸 (@EricSpracklen) August 21, 2023

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At least 9 million people were under flash-flood watches and warnings as heavy rain fell across normally sunny Southern California ahead of the brunt of the storm. Desert areas were especially susceptible along with hillsides with wildfire burn scars, forecasters warned.

Hilary is just the latest major climate disaster to wreak havoc across the US, Canada and Mexico. Hawaii’s island of Maui is still reeling from a blaze that killed over 100 people and ravaged the historic town of Lahaina, making it the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century. Firefighters in Canada are battling that nation’s worst fire season on record.