The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors announced Friday the declaration of a local emergency throughout its service territory in Imperial and Coachella valleys in response to damage from Tropical Storm Rachel.
“Declaring a local emergency allows IID to continue moving quickly with the repairs and recovery work needed following this storm,” IID Board Chairwoman Karin Eugenio said in a statement. “Our employees responded immediately to restore service and protect critical infrastructure, and this action helps ensure they have the resources necessary to continue that work.”
The heavy rainfall and gusty winds created hazardous conditions, including flooding that damaged electric transmission and distribution infrastructure for customers, IID officials said. More than 2,300 customers were affected by the storm, and service was restored in less than 12 hours.
The proclamation allows the agency to expedite emergency protective measures, supports continued recovery, infrastructure repairs and pursue assistance for state and federal programs.
“Our focus remains on restoring damaged infrastructure safely and completely while continuing reliable service to our customers,” Jamie Asbury, IID general manager, said in a statement. “This declaration fives the district additional flexibility as we move from emergency response into longer-term recovery.”
Officials said crews will continue restoration efforts, assessing storm-related impacts and completing repairs.