Hope dims for survivors in California mudslides
MONTECITO, Calif. — Rescue crews continued to search for survivors amid the mud and wreckage of Montecito’s massive debris field Thursday, but acknowledged that the window to save lives is rapidly closing.
At least eight people remain unaccounted for following Tuesday’s massive mud flow, which killed at least 17 people and obliterated scores of homes.
On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office released the names of the dead, which included four children. All the victims were Montecito residents.
They were identified as Kailly Benitez, 3; Jonathan Benitez, 10; Martin Cabrera-Munoz, 48; David Cantin, 49; Sawyer Corey, 12; Peter Fleurat, 73; Josephine Gower, 69; John McManigal, 61; Alice Mitchell, 78; James Mitchell, 89; Mark Montgomery, 54; Caroline Montgomery, 22; Marilyn Ramos, 27; Rebecca Riskin, 61; Roy Rohter, 84; Peerawat Sutthithepn, 6; and Richard Taylor, 67.
The county coroner has listed the cause of death for the victims as “multiple traumatic injuries due to flash flood with mudslides due to recent wildfire.”
In some cases, the deluge seemed to split families as well as homes.
Roy Rohter, founder of St. Augustine Academy in Ventura, was swept from his home alongside his wife, school officials said. Rohter died, but his wife was rescued and said to be in stable condition, the college said.
First responders have searched about 75 percent of the debris field, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.
“It is a massive operation that we have underway, still in the search and rescue mode, as mentioned, but as we transition and will transition to a recovery mode, we realize that this is going to be a long and difficult journey for all of us and for our community,” he said.
Emergency crews rescued three people Wednesday, using helicopters to reach residents trapped in canyon areas that were rendered inaccessible by mud, downed power lines and fallen trees.
“We continue to work down a list of missing people and their addresses and do a much more focused search of that area,” Montecito Fire District Deputy Chief Kevin Taylor said Wednesday.
Much of the focus of Thursday’s search will be on areas where rescue crews had yet to reach, said Amber Anderson, a public information officer for the multi-agency response team handling the disaster. Secondary searches also will be conducted in areas that emergency crews were able to access earlier in the week.
Hundreds of people who were trapped but not injured in the slides, such as those stranded in Romero Canyon, were taken to safety on Wednesday, she said.
Anderson could not say Thursday morning whether the eight people still missing were believed to be in areas that rescue crews had yet to reach.
Tennis legend Jimmy Connors was among those who were stranded and had to be airlifted from the area by the Coast Guard.
“Montecito — fires burn — rain comes — mud slides and devastation — evacuated today by helicopter — thoughts and prayers for all!!!” Connors tweeted.
As crews swept the area in search of survivors, the smell of gas filled the air.
“This is probably a lot more dangerous environment than we’re used to,” said Scott Fuller, a logistics team manager with Cal Task Force 8. “Typically we train for more earthquake, hurricane kind of stuff. A mudslide is not common ... there’s astronomical safety hazards going on here.”
The surge destroyed or damaged hundreds of buildings in Montecito and washed out a 30-mile stretch of the 101 Freeway.
“It looks like a swamp — there’s so much stuff down there,” said Jose Gonzalez, a road crew worker stationed by a bridge over the 101. “Some of the locals think there’s probably bodies in there. I hope not.”