That can potentially move the fatalities upwards of 65. For those of us locally this is very hard to watch as we see the many details on local news.
Highway 101, a major corridor north and south looks like a huge swamp and now put off until early next week to reopen. I don't think so. Muddy water is till running onto it.
Carpinteria was the next hardest hit after Montecito. My wife's sister is who survived the fire, ash, and toxic air there is now land-locked in by the mud with no freeway, or surface road access out. Food supplies are running out in the small towns without access. My wife stays in touch with her sister who has no cable or internet access.
People have resorted to ocean ferries to get around the sections of freeways that are closed.
It's weird to see crumpled up cars, even an unrecognizable Humvee sitting in the waves of the Pacific ocean. I'm beginning to wonder if some people were swept out to sea.
My sister-in-law has over the years run into many, many famous people in Montecito including Oprah at the Von's supermarket which is near the epicenter of the mudslides covering 30 square miles.
The little baby girl rescued from the mud has been reunited with her dad. The 14 year old girl you saw being rescued is missing her dad and brother. Hopefully they will all be reunited. The mantra by some survivors is "At least we're alive".
We're under two hours north and haven't visited family there (sister, cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces) since before the fires. When we get to go visit we will be sure to take lots of wine from our neck of the woods and have a family reunion. Glad they're all okay. |