A highway clogged with a river of mud. Crushed vehicles and homes. Rescue workers desperately scouring wreckage for survivors: The photos and videos out of Montecito, California, on Tuesday showed a town devastated by mudslides and debris flows mere weeks after it was ravaged by the Thomas fire.
At least 13 people have died in the disaster, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. The number of casualties are expected to increase as rescue operations continue.
On Tuesday, the county fire department, residents, journalists and others took to Twitter to share photos and video of the devastation.
EPIC DESTRUCTION Montecito just a 30 seconds clip of one road. Entire neighborhoods are wiped out, so far 13 dead. I have never seen such destruction @CBSLA @KCBSKCALDesk pic.twitter.com/jc89HMoKDF
— stu mundel (@Stu_Mundel) January 10, 2018
WASHED AWAY: Drone footage above Montecito, California, shows a massive mudslide this morning after a major winter storm, with dirt and debris swamping the 101 Freeway and closing the highway in both directions. https://t.co/yPfAYQc6m4 pic.twitter.com/Gsrxt3Eg7e
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 9, 2018
#CAstorm- Santa Barbara County Firefighter’s use a search dog to look for victims where multiple homes once stood in Montecito following flooding due to heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/xZcI4PNmej
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
WATCH: Video shows devastation in Montecito, California, following a powerful overnight storm that led to the deaths of at least 13 people https://t.co/Qu7vQd56mf
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 10, 2018
NBC News' @GadiNBC: "The lake at the end is the 101" pic.twitter.com/6ix4R46LdA
Viewer Mary Long sent in this photo from Santo Tomas Lane in Montecito. Mud in her living room. #CAStorm pic.twitter.com/uRL2ZBuLQA
— Joe Buttitta (@KEYTNC3Joe) January 9, 2018
The US 101 Freeway at the Olive Mill Road overpass flooded with runoff water from Montecito Creek. pic.twitter.com/SjaSOgOFMm
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
#CAstorm- A semi-tractor trailer sits stuck in mud on US Highway 101 northbound just south of the San Ysidro Road offramp in Montecito. pic.twitter.com/nHO11UxuJj
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
Unbelievable. This the 101 North in Montecito/Summerland. Completely blocked with mud. #CAStorm 📹: Joyce Dudley-Santa Barbara County DA pic.twitter.com/49BubOFvkp
— Joe Buttitta (@KEYTNC3Joe) 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
This is what floodwaters and mud can do. That’s the remnants of a car in Montecito, CA pic.twitter.com/S0CNVEbTqM
— Brian L Kahn (@blkahn) January 10, 2018
#BREAKING: Mudslide shuts down the 101 in Montecito. People asking to be rescued from vehicles who are trapped in water. Reports of homeowners trapped by rising water around their homes. Multiple homes on fire bc of a gas line break. @NBCLA photo cred: @_FabRamirez pic.twitter.com/9THfBqAiOA
— Daniella Guzman (@DaniellaNBCLA) January 9, 2018
#CAstorm- Damage to guest cottages at the storied San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito due to deadly mudflow from overnight heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/5exjodLtk7
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
This is not a river. This is the 101 freeway in my neighborhood right now. Montecito needs your love and support. pic.twitter.com/jRNCBrp4b5
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 9, 2018
#CAStorm - Firefighters rescue a girl who was trapped in Montecito following heavy rain and mudflow in the 300 block of Hot Springs Road. pic.twitter.com/tfUw0cDbXx
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) January 9, 2018
A 14-year-old girl was trapped for hours inside a destroyed home in Montecito. https://t.co/JXe8HKJFfM pic.twitter.com/Sx8jo9FYlY
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) January 9, 2018
5 dead, several homes damaged, numerous stranded in Montecito and other areas affected by mudslides following #ThomasFire
— Carina Corral (@CorralCarina) January 9, 2018
📷: @JasonTheCamera #CAstorm #cawx #beonKSBY pic.twitter.com/pQH2Vs7VLo
Over Montecito where devastating mudslide destroyed cars and shut down 101 feeeway pic.twitter.com/j1MSDO2us1
— Jeff Nguyen (@jeffnguyen) January 10, 2018
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