A new map created internally by emergency assessment teams and obtained by the Independent reveals where the worst of the devastation and death wrought by the Montecito mudslides was concentrated.
The bulk of the flash flooding and debris flows that killed at least 20 people and destroyed dozens of homes barreled along Montecito, San Ysidro, and Romero creeks. The map’s highlighted pathways ― which begin in the foothills just north of the community, snake all the way through town, and terminate at Highway 101 ― closely mirror those featured in a forecast map drawn last week that predicted where flash flooding and mudslides would occur.
Tom Fayram, Santa Barbara County’s deputy public works director, explained Saturday that debris flows tend to form over a large swath of upland terrain before tributaries focus them into narrower lanes. They then look for paths of least resistance, such as roads and creek beds, gathering volume and momentum along the way. The avalanches of mud and rock can steam downhill as fast as 35-40 miles per hour.