At least ten people are missing and 14 others have been rescued after a mudslide, triggered by unusually heavy rains, hit a children's camp east of Los Angeles yesterday.
The mudslide in Waterman Canyon, in San Bernardino County about 70 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, damaged two buildings at St. Sophia Camp, a Greek Orthodox facility for children aged 7 to 17, Sgt. Dave Caddel of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department told journalists.
"It appears we have 10 unaccounted for," Caddel said, based on statements by the eight among the rescued who required treatment at local hospitals for minor injuries and hypothermia.
Among the rescued were men, women and children. Details were scarce about the missing, including their ages. Caddel said they could be holed up in residences near the camp. Rescue workers planned to search through the night.
Local television showed scenes of rushing water 12 feet deep or more as roads were washed out and rescuers were forced to try to build a temporary bridge in order to bring in heavy equipment to aid the search.
"Conditions are horrible and getting worse," San Bernardino County Fire Marshal Peter Brierty told reporters. "It's too dangerous for us to move into that area where the road's been cut."
The slides were exacerbated by a lack of ground cover due to a devastating wildfire that ripped through the area in late October, scorching tens of thousands of acres.
The fire damage, combined with continuing rains, was making conditions dangerous for rescuers, who Caddel said would intensify their search efforts at daybreak.
The storm dropped about 2 inches of rain in some parts of the region. Forecasts for today called for sunny skies in the San Bernardino area, with little chance of rain during the day.