A deluge of rain in Southern California triggered mudslides, flooding, and rivers of mud that have killed at least eight and forced thousands to evacuate, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The rain hit Santa Barbara and Ventura counties—which were ravaged by the large, deadly Thomas Fire last month—particularly hard. The scorched areas have less vegetation and are less stable.
“It’s going to be worse than anyone imagined for our area,” Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason told the Times. “Following our fire, this is the worst-case scenario.”
In Montecito, a wealthy neighborhood east of Santa Barbara, heavy rain caused a creek to flood, sending “waist-high” mudflows through the community before sunrise. Eight were killed and 25 were injured, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office told the Times. A 14-year-old girl was rescued by the fire department from the debris of a house.
#CAstorm– Firefighters successfully rescued a 14 yr old girl (right) after she was trapped for hours inside a destroyed home in Montecito. Pic.twitter.com/1P239MLAZ5
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
View from the air in Montecito. Areas that had been roadways, driveways, and homes, are now unrecognizable due to the large amount of mud and debris flows. Pic.twitter.com/dbsUPw3mrL
— VenturaCoAirUnit (@VCAirUnit) January 9, 2018
Mandatory and voluntary evacuations were put in place throughout Santa Barbara County on Monday afternoon ahead of the storm, according to the county’s website.
“The National Weather Service has issued A FLASH FLOOD WARNING for the Thomas Fire & Whittier Fire burn areas (along the Santa Barbara County south coast),” the website said. “This means that flooding & debris flows are imminent or occurring in these areas.”
Flash Flood Advisory for southern Ventura and Santa Barbara Co until 1:30pm with heavy showers in the area. Pic.twitter.com/G08xzECiKk
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 9, 2018
Evacuations were also in place in parts of Ventura County and Los Angeles County.
Mud/debris flow in La Tuna Canyon burn zone has La Tuna Canyon Road closed in Sun Valley.. @FOXLA @GDLA pic.twitter.com/ZDT8RjQscb
— Rick Dickert (@RickDickertWX) January 9, 2018
The rain fell at a rate of 1.5 inches per hour in some areas of Southern California, according to CNN. By Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service reported 5.04 inches north of Ojai.
5.04 inches of rainfall has been observed so far with this storm at the Matilija Canyon rain gage north of Ojai in the Thomas burn area. #CArain #CAwx #LAweather
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 9, 2018
The rain forced a 30 mile section of the 101 Freeway—the main artery between Ventura and Santa Barbara—to close due to flooding and debris, the CHP tweeted early Tuesday morning. Parts of the I-5 north were also closed.
US 101 northbound & southbound CLOSED for flooding and debris flows in the #ThomasFire burn area (north of Ventura & south of Santa Barbara). I-5 is alternate route. SR-33 is closed just north of Ojai. AVOID AREA. @CHP_Ventura @CHP_SantaBarb @CaltransDist7 @VENTURASHERIFF pic.twitter.com/t7GjRrxY3b
— CHP Moorpark (@CHPMoorpark) January 9, 2018
#CAstorm-The US 101 Freeway at the Olive Mill Road overpass flooded with runoff water from Montecito Creek. Pic.twitter.com/oM1LvLd4Ut
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
Let’s just all accept that it’s not a good day to travel north from Ventura or Los Angeles Counties. US 101 is CLOSED north of Ventura for flooding/mud. I-5 northbound CLOSED at SR 118. Alternate Route, I-210 west to I-5 north will get you around this – or – SR 126 east to I-5. Https://t.co/ZaP5CLNU94
— CHP Moorpark (@CHPMoorpark) January 9, 2018
#CAstorm-The US 101 Freeway at the Olive Mill Road overpass flooded with runoff water from Montecito Creek. Pic.twitter.com/eYZ51HDCBx
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
