On the fifth anniversary of the deadly mudslides that occurred in that area, an entire seaside community that is home to Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrities was ordered to evacuate on the day that another powerful storm pummelling California.
On Monday, a 5-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters on the state’s central coast, and an entire community was ordered to evacuate.
Tens of thousands of people still did not have access to electricity, and as a result, some schools were forced to close for the day. The roads and highways were turned into raging rivers, trees fell over, mud slipped, and drivers grumbled as they were stopped by barricades made by debris that had fallen from the sky.
The death toll from the unrelenting spate of storms rose to 14 on Monday, as two individuals were killed by fallen trees, bringing the total number of people who have died as a result of the storms to 12.
California Deluge Forces Mass Evacuations, Boy Swept Away
On the fifth anniversary of deadly mudslides, another powerful storm pummelling California, causing a 5-year-old boy to be swept away by floodwaters on the state’s central coast and forcing the evacuation of an entire seaside community that is home to Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrities.
Some schools even had to close for the day as tens of thousands of people were still without electricity. The streets and highways became raging rivers, trees fell, mud slid, and angry drivers cursed at the obstructions they encountered.
Two individuals were killed by fallen trees on Monday, raising the death toll from the unrelenting spate of storms to 14.
Officials said they searched for the missing youngster for around seven hours and found nothing but his sneaker because the water was too risky for divers. As of right now, the youngster is still alive, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla.
A pickup driven by the boy’s mother became stuck in floodwaters at around 8:00 a.m. near Paso Robles, a small community inland from California’s central coast, according to Tom Swanson, assistant chief of Cal Fire/San Luis Obispo County Fire.
Swanson speculated that the mother and the boy were both swept away downstream into a river, but that the bystanders had managed to rescue the mother from the truck. At the time, there was no mandatory evacuation.
On the fifth anniversary of a mudslide that killed 23 people and wrecked more than 100 homes in the coastal enclave, the whole village of Montecito and adjacent canyons ravaged by recent wildfires were under an evacuation order. This was about 130 miles (209 kilometres) to the south.
On Monday evening, two cars were swallowed by a sinkhole in the Chatsworth neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Authorities said two individuals escaped on their own, and two more with minor injuries were rescued by firemen using ropes and an aerial ladder.
The National Weather Service predicted that the wealthy neighbourhood, whose roads wound through wooded slopes dotted with huge residences, will see severe downpours throughout the night. Famous people like Rob Lowe and Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, call the secluded coastal community of Montecito home.
Ellen DeGeneres and her actor wife Portia de Rossi have a property in Montecito, and the actress recently posted an Instagram video of herself in front of a flowing creek. In her article, she mentioned that they were told to stay put because of their elevated location.
It’s beyond belief! the host of the talk show, who is dressed in a sweatshirt and an umbrella, says in the clip. No matter how much rain we get, the brook next to our house never fills up. It’s currently at a height of around nine feet and will continue to rise by another two.
Jamie McLeod’s home was included in the Montecito evacuation order, but she claims that between the raging torrent and the mudslide, there is no way for her to “get off the mountain.”
A 60-year-old woman who runs a bird sanctuary in Santa Barbara reported that an employee who came to make the weekly food delivery is also stranded.
McLeod expressed gratitude for her high-ground residence and the continued availability of electricity. But she has grown tired of being forced to leave her home so often in the five years following the devastating wildfire and landslide.
McLeod admitted, “It’s not simple to migrate.” The only time I don’t like it is when disaster strikes.
Nearly 10,000 people were evacuated “based on the ongoing high rate of rainfall with no sign that is going to improve before dark,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said. Roads were flooded and creeks were overflowing.
Northbound U.S. Route 101, a major coastal thoroughfare, was likely to be closed until Tuesday. Because of rockslides and water, numerous other highways and minor roads were also closed.
Having had “a large branch harpooned” the roof of her modest studio, Maria Cucchiara of tiny, flooded Felton went for a walk to count her blessings.
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On Monday, Vice President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in over a dozen counties to aid in the response to the storm and the recovery efforts that followed.
The foothills around Sacramento have already soaked up 15 to 30 cm of rain, and the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of Northern and Central California.
There was a chance of up to 8 inches (20 centimetres) of rain in foothill portions of the Los Angeles area on Monday night and Tuesday. Large waves were also predicted.
Even while the storms have helped replenish depleted reservoirs, much of California is still experiencing severe to extreme drought.
California Reparations Task Force Dives Into What Is Owed
On Wednesday, the first-of-its-kind task force in the country began deliberations to determine how much financial compensation could be calculated and what kind of proof of eligibility would be needed after spending more than a year researching the history and studies to support reparations for the descendants of enslaved Black people in California.
Task force members have admitted they have more questions than answers at this point in the discussion on how to calculate payments.
Task force economists are looking for direction in five areas where Black people have been harmed: government confiscation of private property, undervaluation of Black-owned businesses, housing discrimination and homelessness, mass imprisonment and overpolicing, and health.
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The task committee in California was established a year ago thanks to legislation authored by Secretary of State and former assemblywoman Shirley Weber.
The bill was passed and signed into law in September of 2020, following a summer of countrywide protests against racism and police brutality in response to the white police officer’s shooting of unarmed Black man George Floyd in Minnesota.
A 500-page study detailing how discriminatory policies have hurt Black Californians in the decades after slavery’s abolition was published by the task team in June.
Final Words
On the fifth anniversary of deadly mudslides, another powerful storm pummelling California, causing a 5-year-old boy to be swept away by floodwaters on the state’s central coast and forcing the evacuation of an entire seaside community that is home to Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrities.
