The year of 2017 consisted of many natural disasters all around the world which has unfortunately led into 2018.  Right here in California there were mudslides in the Montecito and surrounding areas.  Due to rivers of mud after a very heavy rainfall, there have been evacuations in Santa Barbara County.

A minimum of 48 people were missing at one point during this disaster along with 20 casualties.  To this day, there are still 4 people missing.  There were 1,250 emergency workers doing their best to find and save as many people as possible.  Sadly, there have been too many tragic stories that families have gone through.

Brad Gorrie, a truck driver who has driven through all types of weather, says, “The tragedies that have come up within this past week are horrendous.  These families have been through a lot and deserve to be given all the positivity possible in the months to come.”

This occurrence has affected many people, both families of those who are missing and citizens of Santa Barbara County.  The 101 freeway, which runs along the coast of California, has been closed and will be so until further notice.

Mudslides in this area began on Tuesday, January 9 and have destroyed approximately 65 homes and greatly damaged many others.

After the Thomas fire hit California, all the vegetation was burned which would have protected the land from the mudslides, but the rain made the soil moist which made the area more vulnerable to mudslides.  On January 18, the mudslides took a car away with it.  A majority of where the damage was done, in Montecito, is where many celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rob Lowe live.

In Malibu, a multimillion-dollar home began teetering off the edge of the cliff into the canyon as the foundation is crumbling.

A multitude of families are missing pets that have made their lives happy for so many years.  One couple was lucky enough to be reunited with their cat after being forced to leave her behind while they were saved from the mudslides by helicopter.

Mr. Gorrie also states, “The way in which these mudslides will effect people in the Montecito area is devastating.  A lot of work is going to have to be done that will not happen overnight.”