Mudslides from Tropical Storm Hilary destroy homes in Cathedral City
Large mudslides following the downpour of Tropical Storm Hilary on August 20, 2023, fall within the FEMA Flood Risk Zone in the northeast corner of Cathedral City, California.
Taya Gray, Palm Springs Desert Sun
Nearly a year after Cathedral City’s Panorama neighborhood was devastated by Hilary, the remnants of a hurricane and tropical storm, city officials announced this week that they had completed road repairs in the area.
Panorama, particularly Horizon Road, suffered severe damage when mudslides buried streets and entered homes. People had to dig up several feet of dirt and evacuate 14 people who were trapped overnight in a nursing home for the elderly. The debris was collected in nearby piles, which the city then spent millions to clean up.
The City Council approved a certificate of completion for the road repairs during its meeting Wednesday, which cost about $663,000, slightly less than the city’s approved funds. Construction began in mid-June and was completed in early July, according to a report presented to the council.
More: Months after Tropical Storm Hilary, Horizon Road is slowly recovering
The work by Hardy & Harper, Inc. included the installation of 14,000 square feet of asphalt, reconstruction of curbs and gutters on Horizon Road, modernization of curb ramps and re-stripping. Repairs included the following sections:
- Horizon Road from Vista Chino to Panorama Road.
- Los Gatos Road from Fortuna Way to Date Palm Drive.
- Panoramic street from Avenida Diosa to Avenida La Vista.
- East-west alley from Horizon Road to Date Palm Drive.
- North-south alley from Adelina Road to the southern end of the alley.
According to the city, repair work along Date Palm Drive and Vista Chino is expected to continue in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.
The road repairs were completed several months after construction crews completed emergency work, which included removing dirt from the area. Cathedral City officials had estimated the cost to be about $4 million, but it ended up costing less than half that.
This story contains earlier reporting by editor Ani Gasparyan.
Tom Coulter covers the middle valley. You can reach him at [email protected].
