Santa Barbara, California - Rescue crews in
Southern California resumed on Thursday the arduous task of
combing through tons of debris for survivors from deadly
mudslides that struck along the state's picturesque coastal
communities.
Seventeen people are confirmed dead and another 17 people
are missing after a wall of mud roared down hillsides in the
scenic area between the Pacific Ocean and the Los Padres
National Forest, according to authorities in Santa Barbara
County.
"Right now, our assets are focused on determining if anyone
is still alive in any of those structures that have been
damaged," Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told Los
Angeles television station KCAL.
Some 500 rescuers using search dogs, military helicopters,
and thermal imaging equipment are on scene.
Search and rescue efforts have been slow as crews have to
navigate through waist-deep mud, fallen trees, boulders and
other debris.
"Another tough day in Santa Barbara County as Search and
Rescue, Fire and Law Enforcement personnel from across our
county and our neighboring counties searched for survivors and
evacuated people," the sheriff's office said on its Twitter feed
late Wednesday night.
The devastating mudslides, which were triggered by heavy
rains early on Tuesday, roared into valleys denuded by historic
wildfires that struck the area last month.
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The debris flow from the mudslides has destroyed 100 homes,
damaged hundreds of other structures and injured 28 people, said
Amber Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Fire
Department.
Among the damaged properties were historic hotels and the
homes of celebrities including television personality Oprah
Winfrey and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, who both live in the
upscale hillside community of Montecito.
DeGeneres said on her talk showing airing Thursday that the
picturesque town of 9,000 is a "tight-knit" community.
"It's not just a wealthy community, it's filled with a lot
of different types of people from all backgrounds," she said.
"And there are families missing, there are people who are
missing family members...it's catastrophic."
Last month's spate of wildfires, including the Thomas Fire -
the largest in the state's history - stripped hillsides of
vegetation and left behind a slick film that prevented the
ground from absorbing rainwater.
"First we got burned out at our ranch that caught on fire
and now we’re flooding, so the last month has been pretty bad,”
said Charles Stoops, as he stood in front of his house, which
was surrounded in mud three feet (nearly a meter) deep.