Batteries and bottled water fly off the shelves as L.A. braces for Hurricane Hilary

As Hurricane Hilary barreled toward California on Saturday, Los Angeles residents accustomed to earthquakes and wildfires focused on a whole new genre of natural disaster preparation: a tropical storm.

Some called Gulf Coast and East Coast relatives for advice. Others relied on earthquake tips. They jammed Costco warehouses and grocery stores, waited in long lines for gas, and stocked up on batteries and granola bars.

Anything capable of making light — candles, flashlights and batteries, lanterns and camping fuel, even old-fashioned oil lamps — were sold out by Saturday afternoon at many neighborhood hardware stores and retail warehouses.

The empty shelves in the flashlight section of a Woodward’s ACE Hardware store in Santa Ana reminded store manager Cindy Finch of the hordes of panicked customers who stockpiled groceries and hand sanitizer during the pandemic

“This time around, people want to be prepared in case Hurricane Hilary wipes out their electrical power," Finch said. If that doesn’t happen, she added with a knowing smile, the items can help after an earthquake.

A long checkout line stretched through the 99 Cents Only Store on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, where gallons of bottled water, battery-powered tea lights and pillar candles were selling fast.

Daniel Flores, 54, of Echo Park, went in looking for nylon rope to secure a tarpaulin across his Oldsmobile Cutlass, which he parks on the street. The sedan had its window broken a few months ago, and Flores waited to repair it because summers are usually so dry.

Read more: Live updates: Tracking Tropical Storm Hilary as it approaches California

"Who expects a hurricane in L.A.?" Flores said. He also picked up two gallons of bottled water, a few bags of chips and a pack of AAA batteries. His family's plan during the deluge on Sunday, he said, is to "stay home and drink."

At Baller Hardware in Silver Lake, a sign fixed to the front door read: "We are out of: sand, sandbags, tarps, flashlights. We have: candles, batteries."

Drivers circled like sharks on the side street outside the store, waiting for parking spots. Inside, a harried worker said the neighborhood business had been packed since 7 a.m. Then the phone rang. He answered, listened and said: "No, sorry, we just sold out. We've got scented candles, and that's it."

Marilyn Jiménez Dávila of the American Red Cross said before the storm arrives, Angelenos should focus on building a household emergency kit, charging all electronic devices and backup batteries, and making a plan for getting information on the storm as it progresses.

"We want to urge folks in the area and in the storm's way to take the storm seriously and take preparedness seriously," Jiménez said.

Read more: 'Widespread flooding' expected as intense Hilary pounds Southern California

Jiménez recommended finding a radio to follow news about the storm, in case cell service goes out. And if the power goes out, she said, flashlights are better than candles.

"We have one disaster going on, and we don't want to start a fire," she said. "We want to prevent any other type of disaster."

She said the Red Cross also offers an app that shows storm tracking and, if officials request them, the locations of emergency shelters, she said. The group's warehouses are stocked with cots, blankets, hygiene kits and cleaning products and can be deployed when needed, she said.

At an Arco gas station in Echo Park, cars waiting to fill up at the station's 12 pumps were backed up out of the lot and onto the street.

Emma Rodriguez, 26, stopped to get gas while running errands. The Hollywood production assistant said she wasn't sure how seriously to take the warnings of the impending rainfall. But her extended family in Florida had urged her to at least fill her car with gas and stock up on batteries and nonperishable food.

Her biggest concern, Rodriguez said, is the roof of her apartment complex in East Hollywood, which leaks when it rains.

"Three inches in one day is a lot," Rodriguez said.

As she filled her Toyota Camry, her roommate emerged from the convenience store with bottled water, granola bars, beef jerky and two packets of instant ramen.

"Hopefully it isn't that bad and we can just eat snacks and watch Netflix," Rodriguez said.

Nearby on Berkeley Avenue, a man with a shovel filled a sandbag from a pile of dirt sitting outside a construction site, surrounded by caution tape.

The Silver Lake resident, who declined to give his name, said he was worried that water would pour down the hill in his backyard and flood his patio. He picked up sand bags at a nearby fire station and improvised when he passed the dirt pile on his way home.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.