Tropical Storm Hilary battered California bringing rare floods across the state's southern region on Sunday.

Footage taken by the Palm Springs Fire Department shows the deluge surging across a road, sweeping away debris and rubbish on August 20.

The Fire Department wrote: 'Due to unprecedented rainfall and flooding of local roadways and at least one swift water rescue, Palm Springs City Manager Scott C. Stiles has declared a local emergency due to the critically dangerous impacts of Hurricane Hilary.'

Hilary was classified as a Category 4 hurricane as it churned over the Pacific, but was downgraded into a Tropical Storm on Sunday, August 20.

The storm killed at least one person in Mexico, and brought record rainfall as it triggered mudslides and flash floods in southern California, local media reported.