Remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel triggered flash floods across the Southwest, including Las Vegas, while Hurricane Simon hammers western Mexico offshore, threatening heavy rain and mudslides along the Pacific coast. Ensenada and other Baja California towns faced severe flooding, vehicle and home damage, and ongoing search-and-rescue operations as the storm’s effects spread from coast to inland communities. Simon’s maximum winds reached about 155 kph and officials warned that life-threatening flooding could continue ahead of a possible late-week landfall. The disruptions come as authorities mobilize thousands of responders and monitoring continues in Mexico and the U.S., with drier conditions foreseen in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast in the near term.
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In Baja California, floodwaters swept through Ensenada, damaging homes and sweeping away vehicles, as rescuers searched for missing people and assisted stranded residents.
At least four fatalities were confirmed in Baja California linked to post-tropical Rachel, including a 13-year-old girl, with several others missing across Ensenada and San Felipe; a 32-person rescue operation from a ranch included 22 foreigners.
Some 14,000 federal and state personnel were deployed across Baja California to aid relief efforts and maintain emergency response.
Hurricane Simon remained offshore with maximum sustained winds near 155 kph (100 mph) and threatened to bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides to western Mexico, potentially making landfall late in the week.
Puerto Vallarta reopened parts of its economy as rains eased and storefronts were boarded up, though the international airport remained closed until the following morning.
In the United States, the remnants of Rachel caused flash flooding in Las Vegas, tying a daily October rainfall record of 1.08 inches, with ongoing risk of localized flooding as weather disturbances lingered.
Beyond Rachel’s impact, Isaias-related damage was still being managed in the Southeast, with power restoration underway and officials optimistic about returning to normalcy within a few days.