Tropical Storm Hilary: Tracking damage after downpour in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Tulare and Kings counties saw heavy downpours, gusty winds, and stormy conditions as tropical storm Hilary made its way into the South Valley.

A video shared by Action News Insider Jeremy May showed severe damage in Southern California during the storm.

Locally, the damage was not as bad.

The California Highway Patrol says even though the worst of the storm has passed, there may be damaged areas they are not yet aware of.

"It is something that can happen, especially when the soil in the ground gets saturated. Those things can come a bit after when you think you are in the clear, and then those things can happen, so definitely be aware of your surroundings," says Johnny Woodrow, Public Information Officer for Visalia CHP.

Despite several accidents due to slick roads, the California Highway Patrol says their calls were about average over the weekend.

Across the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, it was a busy Monday for park rangers.

Although there haven't been any reports of injuries or serious damage caused by the storm, people that may have been hiking across the higher elevations over the weekend could be facing some delays in their travel plans.

"The rivers in the high country in some places are currently high and impassable, sort of the way that they were earlier in the summer. So there's some people who are out there who are probably gonna have to shelter in place for a little bit longer while they wait for those rivers to come down enough for them to safely cross," explains Rebecca Paterson, Public information officer for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Rebecca tells Action News the main roads that lead visitors in and out of the parks are still safe and clear to travel on, including those that lead to the Giant Forest and General Sherman Tree.

It is best to take your time on the roads, watch for any hazards, buckle up and put all the distractions away.

For news updates, follow Kassandra Gutierrez on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.