The Imperial County Board of Supervisors ratified a proclamation declaring the September 1, 2023 storm as a local emergency.

The action came at a special meeting on Friday. The proclamation provides the county with the ability to access state and potentially federal resources to assist in the relief efforts.

The storm battered the ImperialValley with the communities of Niland and Bombay Beach being especially hard hit. Run off from the heavy rains caused massive amounts of water and silt to clog the East Highline Canal near Niland and put much of the community to be flooded. Power lines and utility poles were downed and a number of county roads were flooded.