Authorities hope to start allowing residents to return by month's end to a Southern California community devastated by mudslides — if they can get most utilities restored by then.
Officials said Sunday that it will be a gradual process getting residents back into homes in Montecito, where at least 21 people were killed during flash floods Jan. 9. A 17-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl remain missing.
U.S. Highway 101: Jan. 10 and Jan. 22
U.S. 101 in Santa Barbara County, swamped by the mudslides, reopened Sunday after a nearly two-week closure that caused traffic headaches across the region, state officials said.
Montecito Inn: Jan. 9 and Jan. 22
The coastal town's narrow streets are clogged with bulldozers and utility trucks as crews remove mud and boulders and rebuild drainage pipes and power lines.
Butterfly Beach: Jan. 9 and Jan. 22
A powerful storm on Jan. 9 brought down boulders and trees from hillsides made bare by last month's wildfires. Hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged.
Coast Village Road: Jan. 9 and Jan. 22
Crews worked around the clock clearing drainage areas, stabilizing embankments and repairing guardrails and signs. They also cleaned and swept the highway.
U.S. Highway 101: Jan. 13 and Jan. 22