1. California has always been drought-prone, which is the reason why seventy years ago, the powers that be there began to build a series of water storage facilities and piping systems to provide water to the driest parts of the State. Until the first Jerry Brown era, accompanied by the green commies, when they stopped constructing and began destructing. It's not the drought that's killing California, it's the State government.
2. I recall reading that the closed Walmart in TX has since re-opened. Don't know about the others.