Dinah Shore Drive Closed Due To Flood: Cathedral City

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA — A car struck a fire hydrant in Cathedral City Wednesday, flooding a popular thoroughfare and snarling traffic as crews worked to clean up the mess.

The solo vehicle collision was reported at about 11:40 a.m. on Dinah Shore Drive between Cathedral Canyon Drive and Via De Anza, city spokesman Chris Parman said.

Parman said the driver hit the fire hydrant while making an illegal U- turn and fled the scene. Law enforcement has identified the driver, according to Parman, although it was unclear whether anybody was injured.

Crews stopped the water flow around noon, though Dinah Shore Drive remained fully closed into the evening while mud and debris were cleaned up, Parman said.

The flooding also caused a sinkhole to develop in the area, which complicated the roadway's reopening. While the roadway itself did not sustain enough damage due to the sinkhole to require additional work, the sidewalk did.

The eastbound lanes were expected to reopen by 5 p.m., while the westbound side — where the sidewalk damage occurred — will remain shuttered until around 10 p.m.

Motorists were urged to use alternative routes, such as East Palm Canyon Drive or Ramon Road.