1/9 Debris Flow: Two Years Later

Santa Barbara County continues to heal and rebuild in the wake of Montecito’s deadliest disaster.

By Delaney Smith January 9, 2020

5 min read

1/9 Debris Flow: Two Years Later — In the wake of 2018’s 1/9 Debris Flow, a group of Montecitans formed the nonprofit Partnership for Resilient Communities to install six Geobrugg flexible debris-control ring nets, the last two of which went up in November.

On January 9, 2018, 23 people were swept up and killed by the massive debris flows that tore through Montecito. The remains of two children, 17-year-old Jack Cantin and 2-year-old Lydia Sutthithepa, are yet to be found.

Two years later, the area has begun to heal and prepare in the case of another natural disaster. The county and surrounding community are taking steps to further rebuild — both structurally and emotionally.

“To do justice in the memory of those we have lost, we must do substantive work to make sure the tragedy doesn’t happen again,” said County Supervisor Das Williams, whose 1st District encompasses the disaster area.