In pictures: Mudslides cause chaos in California
- Published
Rescue workers are still searching for survivors after a deadly mudslide destroyed homes in Montecito, southern California
A wall of mud after torrential rain swept through the small town.
Montecito is strewn with debris and conditions for rescue teams are said to be dangerous.
Dozens of people have been rescued so far and more than 160 have been taken to hospital
The first rain in months hit ground that had been scorched by December's wildfires. The fires had created a water repellent layer over the soil.
In some places the mud was waist-deep, and police said the scene "looked like a World War One battlefield".
More than 30 miles (48km) of the main coastal road have been closed and many places are still inaccessible.
Thousands had to flee their homes, many for the second time in two months after the wildfires. Some houses were knocked off their foundations.
The mudslides follow the costliest year on record for climate-related disaster in the US with fires, floods and hurricanes costing $306bn (£226bn) in 2017.
- Published10 January 2018
- Published10 January 2018
- Published8 January 2018
