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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 16 January 2018

California highway to stay shut another week after mudslides

By CHRIS WEBER Four people remained
Associated Press missing following mudslides
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Crews that were triggered Jan. 9
working around the clock by a powerful storm that
cleared boulders, trees swept in from the Pacific
and crushed cars from all and dumped a deluge on
lanes of U.S. 101, but Cali- mountain slopes that had
fornia officials said Mon- been burned bare by a
day the key coastal high- huge wildfire in December.
way would remain closed Search and rescue op-
for another week after be- erations ended over the
ing inundated during mud- weekend, and authorities
slides that killed 20 people. transitioned to recovery.
Much of the water on the The move allows officials to
roadway near the devas- release resources that were
tated town of Montecito no longer needed and slow
had receded, allowing the search to a safer pace,
workers to use bulldozers Santa Barbara County
and other heavy equip- Sheriff Bill Brown said.
ment to push away solid At least 65 homes were de-
debris that was still several stroyed and more than 460
feet deep. others were damaged.
“It is not until you can see The name of each victim
the damage with your own was read aloud during a
eyes that you can come vigil Sunday night attended
to understand the magni- by thousands of people.
tude of the incident, the “We all know someone
response that is necessary, who has been affected
but most importantly the by this,” said Bethany Har-
impact to the citizens and ris, who brought her two Capt. John Pepper, Fresno Fire Department, and Rescue Squad Leader RTF-5 searches homes
off East Valley Road in Montecito, Calif. While an aggressive cleanup could mean Montecito will
families of Santa Barbara young sons to mourn. welcome visitors again in weeks, the rebuilding of infrastructure and hundreds of homes will be
County,” said Jim Shivers, a “We will heal together.” measured in months and years. It will also offer a chance to re-imagine aspects of a town that has
spokesman for the Califor- Crews have made it a pri- favored slow growth over the runaway development closer to Los Angeles.
nia Department of Trans- ority to clear debris basins (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara FD via AP)
portation. and creek canals before although the precipitation Santa Barbara and points Los Angeles area — locat-
Officials were aiming to re- another rainstorm hits the was expected to be light. east as travelers increas- ed 90 miles (145 kilometers)
open U.S. 101 on Jan. 22, area. Long-range forecasts Another storm system could ingly relied on rail service to down the coast — was a
nearly two weeks after it gave the crews less than move in a few days later. get around the closure. series of smaller mountain
was shut down when lanes a week before the next With U.S. 101 shut down, With many surface streets highways that add more
became a river of muck, chance of rain — and po- Amtrak added additional also impassable, the only than three hours to the
Shivers said. tential new mudslides — cars to its route between other ground route into the trip.q

Helicopter for utility work crashes in field, killing 2

STONY RIDGE, Ohio (AP) Monday just south of the FirstEnergy spokesman contractor was working to
— A helicopter used for Ohio Turnpike in Wood Doug Colafella tells The notify the victims’ families.
inspecting power lines has County. Blade that the victims The Federal Aviation Ad-
crashed into a snowy Ohio Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn were contractors for the ministration and the Na-
field, killing the two men says there was no sign of utility. tional Transportation Safe-
on board. fire and no indication that He didn’t disclose the ty Board were expected
It’s not clear what caused the aircraft hit any utility names of the men or their to send investigators to the
the crash around midday lines. employer but said the scene.q