Story perspectives

Death toll rises to six as 5 remain missing in Baja

By Drooid · Oct 13, 2026, 10:16 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Governors Report Fatalities

Governor Evelyn Salgado reported a 71-year-old man died when a wall collapsed during Hurricane Simon.
Governor Marina del Pilar confirmed a young girl and three others died from Tropical Storm Rachel’s remnants.
The combined death toll rose to six, with five people still missing in Baja California.
Rescue teams airlifted 32 people, including 22 foreigners, from a flooded ranch in Ensenada, Baja California.

Summary

Newsom Declares Emergency

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state emergency and pre-positioned over 4 million sandbags.
Mayor Bruce Silverstein announced a citywide emergency on Sept 28 for flooding, mudslides and erosion.
Mayor Rex Richardson said more than six coastal homes are structurally unsafe after the storm.
Las Vegas tied its October rainfall record with 1.08 inches, the most since 1947.
The National Weather Service issued coastal flood warnings from San Diego to San Francisco Bay through the weekend.

History

Historical Context

The 1997–1998 El Niño winter, hitting the U.S. West Coast and Baja California in early 1998, produced unprecedented rains that flooded dozens of towns. Governor Pete Wilson activated the California National Guard and FEMA, reporting 12 inches of rain in Los Angeles and $1.5 billion in damages. The current hurricanes Simon and Rachel compel Governor Evelyn Salgado and Governor Gavin Newsom to declare emergencies, airlift victims, and pre-position sandbags. That 1998 crisis spurred cross-border flood-warning protocols, now guiding joint rescue efforts and infrastructure upgrades along the Pacific coastline.

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Governors Report Fatalities

Governor Evelyn Salgado reported a 71-year-old man died when a wall collapsed during Hurricane Simon.
Governor Marina del Pilar confirmed a young girl and three others died from Tropical Storm Rachel’s remnants.
The combined death toll rose to six, with five people still missing in Baja California.
Rescue teams airlifted 32 people, including 22 foreigners, from a flooded ranch in Ensenada, Baja California.

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