At least 5 dead as heavy rains trigger flooding, mudflows and freeway closures across Southern Calif

Source: Los Angeles Times

At least 5 dead as heavy rains trigger flooding, mudflows and freeway closures across Southern California

By James Queally, Joseph Serna and Michael Livingston
JANUARY 9, 2018, 11:05 AM | REPORTING FROM MONTECITO

At least five people were killed Tuesday when a rainstorm sent mud and debris coursing through Montecito neighborhoods and left rescue crews to scramble through clogged roadways and downed trees to search for victims.

The deluge that washed over Santa Barbara County early Tuesday was the worst-case scenario for a community that was ravaged by the Thomas fire only a few weeks earlier. In just a matter of minutes, pounding rain overwhelmed the south-facing slopes above Montecito and flooded a creek that leads to the ocean, sending mud and massive boulders rolling into residential neighborhoods, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason

“It’s going to be worse than anyone imagined for our area,” he said. “Following our fire, this is the worst-case scenario.”

Five people were killed and at least eight were injured after a heavy band of rain struck around 2:30 a.m. causing “waist-high” mudflows, Eliason said.

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Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-rainfall-mudflow-20180109-story.html