Hurricane Liza was a powerful, deadly and devastating Pacific hurricane which caused the worst natural disaster in the history of Baja California Sur. The seventeenth tropical cyclone, thirteenth named storm, and eighth hurricane of the 1976 Pacific hurricane season, Liza developed from an area of disturbed weather southwest of the Mexican coast on September 25. Slowly intensifying, the system attained tropical storm strength the following day. In favorable conditions, Liza continued to intensify, reaching hurricane strength on September 28 after developing an eye. The hurricane peaked in intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale on September 30, with winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of . Liza weakened as it moved northward into the Gulf of California. Shortly thereafter, the hurricane made its second landfall north of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, with winds of , making it one of 17 storms to make landfall as major hurricanes in the basin. Inland, the hurricane rapidly weakened and dissipated on October 2.
Prior to the arrival of Liza, residents along the Gulf of California coastline were evacuated, although some refused to leave their homes. Radio stations warned all nearby ships to remain at harbor. Liza brought heavy rainfall to the area, which caused significant flash flooding. Following a dam burst by the El Cajoncito Creek along the outskirts of La Paz, hundreds of people were swept away by flood waters. In La Paz, the capital of the state, 412 people died and 20,000 were left homeless. Nearly one third of the homes in the town were destroyed. Throughout the state, a variety of death tolls were reported, but officials estimated that 1,000 people had perished. In the states of Sinaloa and Sonora, Liza caused moderate damage and left 30,000 to 54,000 homeless, along with 155 more casualties. Along the Gulf of California, 108 people were presumed dead after 12 boats were lost. The remnants of the storm later affected the United States, bringing moderate rainfall
In the aftermath of the storm, rescue workers spent days digging through mud to find victims of the hurricane until the search was disbanded on October 6. The government received criticism for the tragedy, citing that the dam that broke had been poorly built. Overall, at least 1,263 fatalities and $100 million (1976 USD) in damage are attributed to the hurricane, making it one of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record in the eastern Pacific, as well as one of the few Pacific hurricanes to kill more than 1,000 people.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Liza originated from a very large area of intense thunderstorms that developed about southwest of the Mexican coast on September 25. Later that day, satellite imagery indicated that the system had developed a cyclonic circulation. It is estimated that a tropical depression developed at 1800 UTC on September 25, centered about east-northeast of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. The depression gradually intensified as it tracked west-northwestward, and became Tropical Storm Liza at 1800 UTC on the following day. Thereafter, Liza turned to the north at and began to strengthen while moving through sea surface temperatures of . Within 48 hours of the storm's formation, the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center (EPHC) reported winds of , and Liza intensified into a hurricane early on September 28. Around this time, the hurricane had developed an eye that was in diameter, though it was initially not visible on satellite imagery. Operationally, however, Liza was not upgraded to a hurricane until 18 hours later.
During the afternoon hours of September 28, a Hurricane Hunters aircraft made its first flight into Liza, recording a minimum barometric pressure of ; despite the low pressure, maximum sustained winds of just were reported. Hours later, a second flight into the hurricane revealed winds of and slightly lower pressures. Liza continued to intensify, attaining winds of by early September 29. Later that morning, the hurricane reached Category 2 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS). By midday, Hurricane Hunters recorded a pressure of as the eye became visible on infrared satellite imagery, prompting the EPHC to upgrade Liza to a major hurricane, a Category 3 or higher on the SSHWS.
Liza continued to rapidly intensify and attained winds of late on September 29, making it a mid-level Category 4 hurricane. Though Liza encountered warm sea surface temperatures of , it did not strengthen further the following day. Late on September 30, Liza brushed the Baja California Peninsula, passing about east of Cabo San Lucas while still at peak intensity. Early on October 1, Liza entered the Gulf of California exactly east of La Paz, Baja California Sur. By 1300 UTC that day, Liza made landfall about north of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, with winds of , still a Category 3 storm. Operationally, however, Hurricane Liza was estimated to have made landfall with winds of and gusts up to . The storm continued quickly inland while weakening, dissipating the following day. The remnants of Hurricane Liza later entered the United States near El Paso, Texas.
Preparations Prior to the arrival of the hurricane, many residents in shanty towns failed to hear tropical cyclone warnings and watches. Some did hear the warnings, but they did not believe them as the same warning had been issued several weeks before and nothing had happened. In addition, city officials warned the residents living near the dam to take shelter in public buildings though most refused to leave. The government ignored all requests to shore up an earthen dam, as they did not believe Liza would pose a significant threat of damage to the Baja California Peninsula. Along the Gulf Coast, troops evacuated residents, and radio stations warned all nearby ships to remain at harbor. During the afternoon hours of September 29, the education department suspended classes as it began to rain.
As the remnants of Liza moved across the western United States, National Weather Service posted flash flood watches for much of deserts of California, southern Utah, and a portion of Colorado. For the higher areas of Colorado, a snow watch was in effect. In addition, motorists were warned of very hazards driving conditions within of the border.
Impact In all, Liza brought a total of $100 million in damage in Baja California Sur, which receives catastrophic flooding from hurricanes every 50 years or so. The hurricane was considered the worst natural disaster in the history of the peninsula, which at the time had a population of 130,000. It was also at the time considered the worst hurricane to affect the entire country in the 20th century.
Baja California Sur
Hurricane Liza caused extensive damage and loss of life in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Although the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) suggests that Liza brought only light to moderate rains to the area, peaking at around , newspaper accounts claim that fell (more than a year's worth of rainfall) in some areas in a mere 3 hours. Moreover, was measured in El Triunfo and San Antonio, along the southern portion of the peninsula. In La Paz, Baja California Sur, a storm surge of was reported.
The El Cajoncito Creek along the extreme southeast portion of the state grew into a raging torrent. During night of October 1, waters burst a three-year-old and dike. A wall of water spilled over a small shanty town of 10,000 inhabitantes, thousands of whom lived in cardboard shacks. Some shacks were swept away from their initial location. The ensuing mudslide is regarded as the worst in the history of Mexico. Most of the deaths from the hurricane were due to the dam failure; streets also received flooding from the dam burst.
Initially, government officials denied that the dam was poorly built; many politicians and an engineer for the nation's water company blamed the dam's poor construction as the source of the extreme death toll. Prior to the arrival of the storm, many residents had repeatedly requested that a stone wall be built to protect their homes. After the storm, they said that the deaths could have been prevented. According to one account, two master planned communities were situated in the middle of the drainage and were thus deluged by the storm. The water department head took the blame for the construction, but also said that the disaster was a natural phenomenon.
"Dozens" of people were also swept away into the Gulf of California when Hurricane Liza destroyed a sea wall, which, ironically, had been built to prevent flooding from such storms. Nine children got swept under mud. The highway that connected Baja California with California was also destroyed in many places, more than originally anticipated. In fact, there were holes in the asphalt pavement. Bridges up to long were twisted.
Due to flooding, troops evacuated dozens of communities along the Gulf coast. Many desert communities throughout the state were left without any telephone or electrical service; wood, tarpaper, and cardboard were all scattered. Dozens of scores of huts were destroyed. Many humans were swept into the gulf. Sixteen people died inside the remains of a building. Moreover, the Piojillo river overflowed its banks, killing many people and resulting in considerable damage. Elsewhere, destruction was reported in San Jose del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, San Lucas, and Puntas Arena; Pichilinague also received moderate damage. However, there are no known reports of any casualties in all four of those places. Hurricane Liza was also one of six hurricane to directly impact Los Cabos.
South of La Paz, communications and telephone services were cut off to 13 smaller communities. A highway that extends as far south as Cabo San Lucas was blocked. Further north, a highway that links La Paz to places along the northern part of the peninsula such as Mexicali were badly damaged in four places. Offshore, officials reported that 75 boats including nine owned by Americans had sunk during the hurricane. Most notably, the ship Salvatierras cabin and most of its upper deck were ripped off while its hull rolled over. Multiple trucks smashed the ship; however, they were later salvaged. In addition, an vessel sunk during the storm, in which the owner had to pay for the damage, but later earned $50,000 settlement. Overall, several ports along the coast were destroyed by the storm.
In La Paz, a city that at that time had a population of approximately 85,000, some 20,000 were left homeless (nearly one third of the city's population), and an additional 4,000 were injured. It is estimated that one out of five homes were destroyed in the city. Widespread flooding was reported throughout the city with mud filling up the first floor of many houses. This flash flooding led to many homes and automobiles being destroyed. Several roofs fell off of homes and landed deep in the mud. Many roads were blocked due to fallen trees while numerous homes were pushed off their foundation; some cars were also abandoned when Hurricane Liza struck. Some cars were reportedly piled against damaged building and debris. Nine people died when a car was swept away in the floodwaters.
Also, electrical lines and drinking water supplies were cut in La Paz. Also, communication lines were extensively damaged. La Paz Airport received damage during the hurricane; however, by the afternoon of October 1, the airport re-opened, thus allowing the military to provide much-needed aid to victims. Wood, tarpaper, and cardboard were all scattered throughout La Paz. By October 2, rescue teams had covered 38 sq mi (100 sq km) to configure the damage. Throughout the city, a total of 412 people had been killed, 150 were missing people within the resort city, five of which were later presumed dead. Overall, nearly a third of the houses in La Paz were leveled.