By Anthony Maese
Staff Writer
Mudslides, flooded areas and toppled trees are remnants of a storm that came and went right before the start of the spring semester at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
With the late arrival of El Nino, California received more than 200 percent of its yearly rainfall over a five-day period.
Like the rest of the state, CSUDH was not immune to the severe weather patterns, and there was plenty of standing water on campus.
When classes started, what remained from the storm was the flooded area and a toppled overtree between Parking Lots 3 and 6, a collapsed tree near SCC, as well as mudded areas throughout the campus.
“When I was on campus, I couldn’t believe how crazy the rain was,” said Martin Reyes, 19. “I felt like I was experiencing a storm back in Florida.”
No severe structural damage was reported on campus, however, despite the crippling storm, California has had the notorious drought slightly eased because of the uncommon quantity of rain in years.
No part of California is showing signs of “exceptional drought” any longer, according to CNN. As recently as December, some two-thirds of the state experienced “exceptional drought.”
“But that doesn’t mean that the drought is officially over, nor does it mean that everyone has water available at this time,” CNN reported. “It will take months for the snow to melt and make its way into the groundwater, which is so important to many California residents.”
For the first time in quite a while, California homes, as well as parts of CSUDH, have gone from having dirt patch yards to growing green grass again.
“Everything smells crisp and refreshing again since the rain,” said Merrina Sanchez, 23, an incoming transfer student. “I just hope we can say goodbye to drought permanently and things can be beautiful again.”
