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Firefighters pull 14-year-old from home leveled in deadly California flooding, mudslides

Posted at 4:53 PM, Jan 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-09 16:53:37-05

MONTECITO, Calif. – A 14-year-old girl who was trapped for hours inside a California home destroyed by mudflows was safely pulled out of the rubble by firefighters Tuesday morning, according to KTLA.

A photo posted by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows firefighters helping the girl sit up after she was pulled from the debris.

The girl’s house was just one of several destroyed in the coastal community of Montecito, home to many of Santa Barbara County's most affluent residents. At least six homes were "wiped away from their foundations" by mudflow and debris, Santa Barbara County fire spokesman Mike Eliason said.

Heavy rain has pounded areas charred by recent wildfires, triggering warnings of flash flooding and mudslides because vegetation that otherwise would hold hills together and make the terrain flood-resistant have burned away. Several people have died in Santa Barbara County, but it's unclear how many were in Montecito.

Officials did not provide any further information on the girl’s condition or if any of her family members had been trapped.

Firefighters have rescued at least eight people in Montecito, and the “numbers are expected to go up significantly,” Eliason said.

CNN contributed to this report.