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American Morning

Massive Mudslide In Santa Barbara County

Aired December 26, 2003 - 08:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: At least 10 people are missing after torrential rain caused a massive mudslide In Santa Barbara County, California. It was, as Rob just mentioned, that same area that was ravaged just two months ago by the wildfires.
Let's go to Miguel Marquez.

He's standing by for us this morning in Waterman Canyon in California -- Miguel, good morning.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

And the rescuers say that it's everything from infants to adults who are among those 10 missing and they believe that it may be as high as 20 missing. They know 10 for sure in these mud slides. But the survivors say that there may be more out there.

In the area of Devore, California, just west of where we are, a separate mud slide hit a Koa campground there. Fifty-two people were literally plucked from the mud. Many of them now in a Red Cross shelter at the high school there. And in the old Waterman Canyon area, where we are just south of, there are at least six homes where about 15 people are OK, say rescuers, but they can't get out because mud slides have washed out the road in at least two major places, and possibly three bridges in that area.

The search continued till about 1:30 this morning at a very high pace. But then rescuers had to slow down. They say that may have been the hardest thing to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER BRIERY, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL: It's very, very cold. Everybody here is cold. But being in the mud would just be very difficult to make it through. But, you know, yesterday was a day of miracles and hopefully today will be, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: So hoping for a miracle to find anybody else alive when the rescue continues at daybreak. The old fire, one of those horrendous California wildfires, ripped through this area, leaving the earth barren, no trees, no grass, no brush. But everything now, the rocks, the mud, the ash and large chunks of trees have rushed downhill onto the people down there, wiping out entire homes, carrying them downstream. And the debris field, the rescuers say, can be as high as between six and 12 feet high, just a rushing torrent of debris. The rescuers hope to get back in there with four heavy teams coming in from different directions and choppers starting at daybreak -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Miguel, are they feeling hopeful that, in fact, they -- that some of the people who are now missing have actually just found their way to other cabins or do they feel that, you know, that the hope might be lost for these folks?

MARQUEZ: They, the hope is is that they either found their way to higher ground, to a cabin, to someplace where they might be able to stay warm. It is very cold out here right now and they fear that if they are in that mud slide, that they would be probably too cold to survive the night -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Oh, it's a terrible situation there.

Miguel Marquez for us this morning.

Miguel, thanks for that update.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 26, 2003 - 08:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: At least 10 people are missing after torrential rain caused a massive mudslide In Santa Barbara County, California. It was, as Rob just mentioned, that same area that was ravaged just two months ago by the wildfires.
Let's go to Miguel Marquez.

He's standing by for us this morning in Waterman Canyon in California -- Miguel, good morning.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

And the rescuers say that it's everything from infants to adults who are among those 10 missing and they believe that it may be as high as 20 missing. They know 10 for sure in these mud slides. But the survivors say that there may be more out there.

In the area of Devore, California, just west of where we are, a separate mud slide hit a Koa campground there. Fifty-two people were literally plucked from the mud. Many of them now in a Red Cross shelter at the high school there. And in the old Waterman Canyon area, where we are just south of, there are at least six homes where about 15 people are OK, say rescuers, but they can't get out because mud slides have washed out the road in at least two major places, and possibly three bridges in that area.

The search continued till about 1:30 this morning at a very high pace. But then rescuers had to slow down. They say that may have been the hardest thing to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER BRIERY, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL: It's very, very cold. Everybody here is cold. But being in the mud would just be very difficult to make it through. But, you know, yesterday was a day of miracles and hopefully today will be, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: So hoping for a miracle to find anybody else alive when the rescue continues at daybreak. The old fire, one of those horrendous California wildfires, ripped through this area, leaving the earth barren, no trees, no grass, no brush. But everything now, the rocks, the mud, the ash and large chunks of trees have rushed downhill onto the people down there, wiping out entire homes, carrying them downstream. And the debris field, the rescuers say, can be as high as between six and 12 feet high, just a rushing torrent of debris. The rescuers hope to get back in there with four heavy teams coming in from different directions and choppers starting at daybreak -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Miguel, are they feeling hopeful that, in fact, they -- that some of the people who are now missing have actually just found their way to other cabins or do they feel that, you know, that the hope might be lost for these folks?

MARQUEZ: They, the hope is is that they either found their way to higher ground, to a cabin, to someplace where they might be able to stay warm. It is very cold out here right now and they fear that if they are in that mud slide, that they would be probably too cold to survive the night -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Oh, it's a terrible situation there.

Miguel Marquez for us this morning.

Miguel, thanks for that update.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com