Five children and two adults have died in mudslides in Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous Central Asian country on the front line of climate change, the government said Saturday.

Mudslides kill 7, including 5 children in Kyrgyzstan

Torrential rains have triggered flash floods and landslides in northwest China's Shaank-see Shaanxi province. The mudslides have killed at least 21, while six others remain missing.

China: Flash floods cause severe infrastructural damage in Shaanxi | WION Climate Tracker

Freshwater fish in Southern United States is under threat due to mudslides caused by the wildfires. The soil mixed with ash is sweeping away the vulnerable native fish and this is causing concern.

WION Climate Tracker | Fishes facing deadly impact of lethal wildfire ash flow

Torrential rain hit parts of New Zealand for a fourth day on Friday, causing further disruptions and road closures. Floods have already forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes.

WION Climate Tracker: Torrential rains hit New Zealand again; mudslide, floods force evacuation

Colombia is battling intense rainfall, the continuous rain have forced water bodies to swell. The La Garcia River in the west is flowing at a dangerous level, the water has moved into towns and cities creating mudslides in a residential regions.

WION Climate Tracker: Heavy rains and mudslides lash Colombia

Colombia is battling rainfall like never before. The continuous rains have forced water bodies to swell up. The La Garcia river in the west is flowing at a dangerous level.

WION Climate Tracker | La Garcia river overflows; residential areas battle mudslides

Devastating floods left nearly 40 people missing and 28 people dead in Kentucky. Residents said that, we have never seen floods like this before. Governor has urged residents to not lose hope.

WION Climate Tracker: Catastrophic flooding in Kentucky | Death toll rises to 28

16 people have been killed in the flash floods that has ravished the state of Kentucky. US administration has issued disaster declaration for Kentucky.

WION Climate Tracker| At least 16 dead as floods ravage US state of Kentucky

Eight people have been killed in the flash floods that has ravished the state of Kentucky. The Governor has also predicted that the death toll could actually rise even further.

WION Climate Tracker| Floods hit US state of Kentucky; national guard deployed for rescue Ops

Authorities in Austria have declared a civil emergency after heavy rain caused severe mudslides in several parts of the country. Mudslides blocked off several areas from rescue services. Heavy rain also caused intense flooding which killed one person.

WION Climate Tracker- Record rainfalls reported in various parts of Austria

Mudslides and floods have killed over 160 people in Brazil's Petropolis. This comes as the region is reeling from its heaviest rainfall in almost a century. WION tells you more.

Over 160 killed in Brazil floods, Bolsonaro promises federal assistance

At least 23 people have lost their lives due to heavy floods and landslides triggered by torrential rainfall in Brazil. Hundreds of cars and houses have been destroyed by the mudslides and several shops have been inundated by the rising water levels.

At least 23 dead as torrential rains wreak havoc in Brazil

Mudslides have killed at least 94 people in Brazil's historic mountain town of Petropolis, as per local officials. Heavy rains have triggered mudslides that buried homes, swept cars and buses off the roads and flooded the streets.

Petropolis or the 'imperial city' is located above hills in Rio de Janeiro. It was the summer getaway of Brazil's monarchs in the 19th century.&nbsp;

Mudslides have killed at least 94 people in Brazil's historic mountain town of Petropolis, as per local officials. Heavy rains have triggered mudslides that buried homes, swept cars and buses off the roads and flooded the streets.

Mudslides have killed at least 94 people in Brazil's historic mountain town of Petropolis, as per local officials. Heavy rains have triggered mudslides that buried homes, swept cars and buses off the roads and flooded the streets. Petropolis or the 'imperial city' is located above hills in Rio de Janeiro. It was the summer getaway of Brazil's monarchs in the 19th century.

Mudslides, flooding kill nearly 100 in Brazil's 'imperial city' - dummy copy for URL check

World leaders are arriving in Rome for the G20 summit. The key area of focus include climate change, the meetings will be held on a greener and sustainable future. All this when the host nation Italy is facing extreme weather, WION's Sidhant Sibal gets you an extensive ground report.

Rome: Storm triggers floods, mudslides ahead of G20 summit

At least 14 people have died and over 240,000 affected in flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka, officials said on Sunday.

Rains have been pounding several districts of the island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic.

The National Disaster Management Centre chief, Maj Gen Sudantha Ranasinghe, said 245,212 people belonging to 60,674 families in 10 districts have been affected due to adverse weather conditions.

"Over 3500 families are housed in relief camps," he said, adding that 72 relief camps have been set up to accommodate over 15,000 people displaced from these families.

The deaths have been reported from Gampaha (2), Ratnapura (3), Colombo (1), Puttalam (1), Kalutara (1), Kegalle (5) and Galle (1), officials said.

While 10 people died in floods, four lost their lives in mudslides, they said. The torrential monsoon rains left several districts under water, including Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo, Ratnapura and Kegalle.

More rains are expected in the coming days, the Meteorology Department said. The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings for six of the 25 administrative districts.

At least 14 people have died and over 240,000 affected in flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka, officials said on Sunday. Rains have been pounding several districts of the island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic.

At least 14 people have died and over 240,000 affected in flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka, officials said on Sunday. Rains have been pounding several districts of the island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic. The National Disaster Management Centre chief, Maj Gen Sudantha Ranasinghe, said 245,212 people belonging to 60,674 families in 10 districts have been affected due to adverse weather conditions. "Over 3500 families are housed in relief camps," he said, adding that 72 relief camps have been set up to accommodate over 15,000 people displaced from these families. The deaths have been reported from Gampaha (2), Ratnapura (3), Colombo (1), Puttalam (1), Kalutara (1), Kegalle (5) and Galle (1), officials said. While 10 people died in floods, four lost their lives in mudslides, they said. The torrential monsoon rains left several districts under water, including Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo, Ratnapura and Kegalle. More rains are expected in the coming days, the Meteorology Department said. The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings for six of the 25 administrative districts.

14 die as heavy rains lash Sri Lanka

Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka have killed at least four people and left seven missing, while more than 5,000 are displaced, officials said on Saturday.

Rains have been pounding six districts of the Indian Ocean island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic.

Two people died in floods while another two lost their lives in mudslides, according to the government's Disaster Management Center. Another seven people are missing in floods and mudslides.

A mound of earth crashed onto a house and buried four members of the same family 'parents and two children' in Kegalle district, about 85 kilometers (53 miles) east of the capital Colombo on Saturday, officials and local media said.

A local television channel, Hiru, showed soldiers and villagers removing mud and debris to recover the victims. Later, the body of the daughter was uncovered. Figures released by the government showed that more than 5,000 people have moved to temporary shelters and nearly 500 houses have been damaged.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka have killed at least four people and left seven missing, while more than 5,000 are displaced, officials said on Saturday.

Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka have killed at least four people and left seven missing, while more than 5,000 are displaced, officials said on Saturday. Rains have been pounding six districts of the Indian Ocean island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic. Two people died in floods while another two lost their lives in mudslides, according to the government's Disaster Management Center. Another seven people are missing in floods and mudslides. A mound of earth crashed onto a house and buried four members of the same family 'parents and two children' in Kegalle district, about 85 kilometers (53 miles) east of the capital Colombo on Saturday, officials and local media said. A local television channel, Hiru, showed soldiers and villagers removing mud and debris to recover the victims. Later, the body of the daughter was uncovered. Figures released by the government showed that more than 5,000 people have moved to temporary shelters and nearly 500 houses have been damaged. (With inputs from agencies)

Floods and mudslides kill 4, another 7 missing in Sri Lanka

The death toll from Eta in Central America has leapt to over 100. On Friday, the Guatemalan military reached a remote mountain village where torrential rains caused mudslides that killed the estimated 100 people.

Many of the dead were buried in their homes in the remote village of Queja in the central region of Alta Verapaz, where around 150 houses were swallowed by mudslides.

The devastating weather front brought destruction from Panama to Honduras and Mexico, which between them have registered more than 50 flood-related deaths -- tally crossing 150.

It was not the first time disaster had struck the remote corner of Alta Verapaz. The area around Queja appeared to be the site of a huge landslide on a road pass a decade ago, which killed dozens

Photos of the Queja landslide showed a lengthy strip of brown mud peeled from the lush green hillside. A video shared by the army showed soldiers trying to get to Queja having to haul themselves through a morass of mud with the aid of a guide rope.

Footage from another part of Guatemala showed boats ferrying villagers in flooded regions and rescue workers carrying children on their backs, wading through water up to their hips.

The army said about 100 people are believed to have died in Queja alone, though searches for survivors continue.

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei hinted the death toll could jump higher, with the number of dead and missing in Queja estimated at about 150.

One of the fiercest storms to hit Central America in years, Eta on Friday dumped more torrential rain across swathes of Central America and the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned "catastrophic flooding" in the region would continue.

Rescue operations across Honduras and Guatemala have been slowed by destroyed roads and bridges, forcing authorities to draft in the military and use helicopters and speedboats to rescue people stranded on top of their houses by flooding.

In Honduras, about 16,000 people were rescued in the northern Valle Sula region, authorities said. Over 5,000 people were evacuated in Guatemala, officials said.

Eta has wrought chaos since plowing into Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday with winds of 150 miles per hour (241 kph). It weakened to a tropical depression inland but unleashed torrents of rain on regions of Honduras and Guatemala.

Mark Connolly, UNICEF Representative in Honduras, has estimated about 1.5 million children there will be impacted by Eta.

Eta's devastation harked back to Hurricane Mitch, which killed some 10,000 people in Central America in 1998. Bad weather is hampering rescue efforts.

At least 23 people have been killed and two are missing in Honduras, the government said on Friday evening. Many people remained trapped on their roofs, the National Risk Management System (SINAGER) said.

High winds and heavy rain have damaged thousands of homes in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica, forcing people to take cover in shelters.

Two miners were reported killed in Nicaragua, while in southern Costa Rica, a landslide killed two people in a house, a Costa Rican woman and an American man. Eight others, including at least three children, died in flooding near the Costa Rican border in Panama's Chiriqui province, authorities said.

On Friday evening, Eta was off Belize's coast in the Caribbean, churning towards Cuba and Florida, the NHC said.

Flash flooding was also possible across Jamaica, southeast Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

(with inputs)

The death toll from Eta in Central America has leapt to over 100. On Friday, the Guatemalan military reached a remote mountain village where torrential rains caused mudslides that killed the estimated 100 people.

The death toll from Eta in Central America has leapt to over 100. On Friday, the Guatemalan military reached a remote mountain village where torrential rains caused mudslides that killed the estimated 100 people. Many of the dead were buried in their homes in the remote village of Queja in the central region of Alta Verapaz, where around 150 houses were swallowed by mudslides. The devastating weather front brought destruction from Panama to Honduras and Mexico, which between them have registered more than 50 flood-related deaths -- tally crossing 150. It was not the first time disaster had struck the remote corner of Alta Verapaz. The area around Queja appeared to be the site of a huge landslide on a road pass a decade ago, which killed dozens Photos of the Queja landslide showed a lengthy strip of brown mud peeled from the lush green hillside. A video shared by the army showed soldiers trying to get to Queja having to haul themselves through a morass of mud with the aid of a guide rope. Footage from another part of Guatemala showed boats ferrying villagers in flooded regions and rescue workers carrying children on their backs, wading through water up to their hips. The army said about 100 people are believed to have died in Queja alone, though searches for survivors continue. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei hinted the death toll could jump higher, with the number of dead and missing in Queja estimated at about 150. One of the fiercest storms to hit Central America in years, Eta on Friday dumped more torrential rain across swathes of Central America and the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned "catastrophic flooding" in the region would continue. Rescue operations across Honduras and Guatemala have been slowed by destroyed roads and bridges, forcing authorities to draft in the military and use helicopters and speedboats to rescue people stranded on top of their houses by flooding. In Honduras, about 16,000 people were rescued in the northern Valle Sula region, authorities said. Over 5,000 people were evacuated in Guatemala, officials said. Eta has wrought chaos since plowing into Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday with winds of 150 miles per hour (241 kph). It weakened to a tropical depression inland but unleashed torrents of rain on regions of Honduras and Guatemala. Mark Connolly, UNICEF Representative in Honduras, has estimated about 1.5 million children there will be impacted by Eta. Eta's devastation harked back to Hurricane Mitch, which killed some 10,000 people in Central America in 1998. Bad weather is hampering rescue efforts. At least 23 people have been killed and two are missing in Honduras, the government said on Friday evening. Many people remained trapped on their roofs, the National Risk Management System (SINAGER) said. High winds and heavy rain have damaged thousands of homes in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica, forcing people to take cover in shelters. Two miners were reported killed in Nicaragua, while in southern Costa Rica, a landslide killed two people in a house, a Costa Rican woman and an American man. Eight others, including at least three children, died in flooding near the Costa Rican border in Panama's Chiriqui province, authorities said. On Friday evening, Eta was off Belize's coast in the Caribbean, churning towards Cuba and Florida, the NHC said. Flash flooding was also possible across Jamaica, southeast Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Cuba. (with inputs)

Guatemalan mudslides push storm Eta death toll near 150

&nbsp;Nearly 40 people were feared dead as torrential rains continued to hit Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, with river banks at risk of bursting on Monday morning and new evacuation orders put in place.&nbsp;

Flooding and mudslides that began at the weekend have killed 21 people so far. A further 18 people were showing no vital signs and presumed dead pending official confirmation, and 13 people were missing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/several-dead-missing-in-japan-as-heavy-rain-causes-floods-310854" hreflang="en">Several dead, missing in Japan as heavy rain causes floods</a>

"I offer my deepest condolences for those who have passed from the torrential rains," Suga said, adding that some 40,000 members of the Self-Defence Force were involved in rescue missions.

He added that evacuation centres were also working on preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus by distributing disinfectant and asking evacuees to maintain their distance from each other.

Also read: <a href="/world/14-feared-dead-at-flooded-nursing-home-in-japan-310673" hreflang="en">14 feared dead at flooded nursing home in Japan</a>&nbsp;

As of Saturday, some 200,000 have been ordered to evacuate their homes, according to Kyodo news agency.

The floods are Japan's worst natural disaster since Typhoon Hagibis in October last year that left about 90 people dead.

Nearly 40 people were feared dead as torrential rains continued to hit Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, with river banks at risk of bursting on Monday morning and new evacuation orders put in place.

Nearly 40 people were feared dead as torrential rains continued to hit Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, with river banks at risk of bursting on Monday morning and new evacuation orders put in place. Flooding and mudslides that began at the weekend have killed 21 people so far. A further 18 people were showing no vital signs and presumed dead pending official confirmation, and 13 people were missing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference. Also read: Several dead, missing in Japan as heavy rain causes floods "I offer my deepest condolences for those who have passed from the torrential rains," Suga said, adding that some 40,000 members of the Self-Defence Force were involved in rescue missions. He added that evacuation centres were also working on preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus by distributing disinfectant and asking evacuees to maintain their distance from each other. Also read: 14 feared dead at flooded nursing home in Japan As of Saturday, some 200,000 have been ordered to evacuate their homes, according to Kyodo news agency. The floods are Japan's worst natural disaster since Typhoon Hagibis in October last year that left about 90 people dead.

Nearly 40 feared dead as torrential rains hit southwest Japan

Around 50 people were killed in southern and eastern parts of South Africa after heavy rains caused flooding and mudslides, authorities said on April 24. Watch this video to know more.

Heavy downpour in parts of South Africa

The death toll from devastating mudslides in affluent communities along a stretch of Southern California coastline rose to 17 on Wednesday after two more bodies were recovered, the local sheriff said, and the number of people missing also climbed to 17.

The two additional fatalities were discovered as some 500 rescuers using search dogs, helicopters and thermal-imaging equipment dug through the waist-deep mud for victims or survivors of the mudslides, which were triggered by a heavy downpour early on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Three more people were rescued from the path of debris on Wednesday. None of the dead have been publicly identified.

&quot;We realise that this is going to be a long and difficult journey for all of us and our community,&quot; Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told reporters at a late afternoon news conference.

The walls of mud that roared through foothills and valleys sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the sprawling Los Padres National Forest also destroyed 100 single-family homes, damaged hundreds of other buildings and injured 28 people, said Amber Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

A major north-south highway along the coast, U.S. Route 101, was closed in both directions and not expected to reopen until next week.&nbsp;

Among the damaged properties were historic hotels and the homes of celebrities including television personality Oprah Winfrey and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, who both live in the upscale hillside community of Montecito, known for its natural beauty and proximity to Los Angeles.

Verdant hillsides that had provided estates with a sense of seclusion were largely denuded by last month`s historic wildfires, making them vulnerable to the massive mud and debris slides that sent boulders crashing into homes, turned highways into raging rivers and shredded cars into tangles of metal.&nbsp;

The sound of destruction&nbsp;

One resident of Toro Canyon described being awakened before dawn Wednesday when his home began shaking and he heard sounds like those of a freight train and snapping wood.

&quot;What they were was a bunch of trees that were being snapped by the mud and boulders and debris that were sliding down Toro Canyon,&quot; Jonathan Reichlen, 45, who owns an urban landscaping company, said in a phone interview.&nbsp;

&quot;I just kind of waited it out because I did not want to go down to Toro Canyon while ... the mudslide was actually going on,&quot; he said.

Reichlen said he had emergency food supplies and water but no hot food and was trying to figure out a way to get safely out of the canyon.&nbsp;

It was the latest blow to a region still rebuilding after the wildfires.

&quot;First we got burned out at our ranch that caught on fire and now we`re flooding, so the last month has been pretty bad,&quot; said Charles Stoops, as he stood in front of his house, which was surrounded in mud 3 feet deep, or nearly a metre.

Officials have ordered residents in a large swath of Montecito to stay in their homes so that rescuers can better go about their work.

Helicopters were ferrying people out of the Romero Canyon neighbourhood, where about 300 people were cut off after a massive debris flow blocked the road into the area.&nbsp;

The mudslides closed several historic hotels, including The Four Seasons Biltmore, which had just reopened on Monday after repairing wildfire damage. The courtyard of the 90-year-old Montecito Inn, built by silent movie actor Charlie Chaplin, was filled with a thick crust of debris driven by the slides.

The disaster followed a violent rainstorm that dumped as much as 6 inches (15 cm) of water onto areas northwest of Los Angeles.

Winfrey posted videos on Instagram showing her wading through nearly knee-deep mud on her Montecito property and later inspecting the damage.

&quot;There used to be a fence right here. That`s my neighbour`s house. Devastated,&quot; she said.

Talk-show host DeGeneres posted a picture of a mud- and debris-filled street outside her Montecito home on Twitter, saying she did not yet know the condition of the house itself.

Former tennis star Jimmy Connors said in a tweet that he and his wife, Patti, had been evacuated by helicopter on Tuesday from their home in the posh hillside community.

The number of fatalities surpassed the death toll from a California mudslide on Jan. 10, 2005, when 10 people were killed as a hillside gave way in the town of La Conchita, less than 20 miles (30 km) south of the latest disaster.

Last month`s wildfires, including the Thomas Fire, which became the largest in California history, not only burnt away trees, grass and shrubs that held soil in place, but also baked a waxy layer into the earth that prevents water from sinking deeply into the ground.

The two additional fatalities were discovered as some 500 rescuers using search dogs, helicopters and thermal-imaging equipment dug through waist-deep mud for victims or survivors of the mudslides, which were triggered by a heavy downpour early on Tuesday.

The death toll from devastating mudslides in affluent communities along a stretch of Southern California coastline rose to 17 on Wednesday after two more bodies were recovered, the local sheriff said, and the number of people missing also climbed to 17. The two additional fatalities were discovered as some 500 rescuers using search dogs, helicopters and thermal-imaging equipment dug through the waist-deep mud for victims or survivors of the mudslides, which were triggered by a heavy downpour early on Tuesday. Three more people were rescued from the path of debris on Wednesday. None of the dead have been publicly identified. "We realise that this is going to be a long and difficult journey for all of us and our community," Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told reporters at a late afternoon news conference. The walls of mud that roared through foothills and valleys sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the sprawling Los Padres National Forest also destroyed 100 single-family homes, damaged hundreds of other buildings and injured 28 people, said Amber Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. A major north-south highway along the coast, U.S. Route 101, was closed in both directions and not expected to reopen until next week. Among the damaged properties were historic hotels and the homes of celebrities including television personality Oprah Winfrey and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, who both live in the upscale hillside community of Montecito, known for its natural beauty and proximity to Los Angeles. Verdant hillsides that had provided estates with a sense of seclusion were largely denuded by last month`s historic wildfires, making them vulnerable to the massive mud and debris slides that sent boulders crashing into homes, turned highways into raging rivers and shredded cars into tangles of metal. The sound of destruction One resident of Toro Canyon described being awakened before dawn Wednesday when his home began shaking and he heard sounds like those of a freight train and snapping wood. "What they were was a bunch of trees that were being snapped by the mud and boulders and debris that were sliding down Toro Canyon," Jonathan Reichlen, 45, who owns an urban landscaping company, said in a phone interview. "I just kind of waited it out because I did not want to go down to Toro Canyon while ... the mudslide was actually going on," he said. Reichlen said he had emergency food supplies and water but no hot food and was trying to figure out a way to get safely out of the canyon. It was the latest blow to a region still rebuilding after the wildfires. "First we got burned out at our ranch that caught on fire and now we`re flooding, so the last month has been pretty bad," said Charles Stoops, as he stood in front of his house, which was surrounded in mud 3 feet deep, or nearly a metre. Officials have ordered residents in a large swath of Montecito to stay in their homes so that rescuers can better go about their work. Helicopters were ferrying people out of the Romero Canyon neighbourhood, where about 300 people were cut off after a massive debris flow blocked the road into the area. The mudslides closed several historic hotels, including The Four Seasons Biltmore, which had just reopened on Monday after repairing wildfire damage. The courtyard of the 90-year-old Montecito Inn, built by silent movie actor Charlie Chaplin, was filled with a thick crust of debris driven by the slides. The disaster followed a violent rainstorm that dumped as much as 6 inches (15 cm) of water onto areas northwest of Los Angeles. Winfrey posted videos on Instagram showing her wading through nearly knee-deep mud on her Montecito property and later inspecting the damage. "There used to be a fence right here. That`s my neighbour`s house. Devastated," she said. Talk-show host DeGeneres posted a picture of a mud- and debris-filled street outside her Montecito home on Twitter, saying she did not yet know the condition of the house itself. Former tennis star Jimmy Connors said in a tweet that he and his wife, Patti, had been evacuated by helicopter on Tuesday from their home in the posh hillside community. The number of fatalities surpassed the death toll from a California mudslide on Jan. 10, 2005, when 10 people were killed as a hillside gave way in the town of La Conchita, less than 20 miles (30 km) south of the latest disaster. Last month`s wildfires, including the Thomas Fire, which became the largest in California history, not only burnt away trees, grass and shrubs that held soil in place, but also baked a waxy layer into the earth that prevents water from sinking deeply into the ground.

Death toll rises to 17 in California mudslides, 17 missing

Mudslides unleashed by a ferocious storm demolished homes in southern California and killed at least 13 people, police said Tuesday.

Authorities said the bodies were discovered in mud and debris during rescue operations in Montecito, northwest of Los Angeles.

&quot;We are saddened to report that this incident so far has resulted in 13 confirmed fatalities, as result of the storm that came through our area last night,&quot; Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference, warning that he expected the death toll to increase.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department said on its Twitter feed it was using dogs to look for victims where multiple homes once stood in Montecito following heavy rain, with more than 20 people reported missing.

The department posted pictures of rivers of waist-high mud flowing through neighbourhoods and roads rendered impassable by fallen trees.

&quot;Firefighters successfully rescued a 14-yr-old girl after she was trapped for hours inside a destroyed home in Montecito,&quot; it added.

Roads were clogged throughout the region with mudflows shutting down more than 30 miles (50 kilometres) of the 101 Freeway and knocking a number of homes from their foundations.

Pounding rain weakened south-facing slopes above Montecito and flooded a creek, sending mud and huge rocks rolling into housing areas.

Emergency services told reporters at least &quot;two dozen&quot; people were missing with &quot;several dozen&quot; homes damaged or destroyed. They said they had rescued scores of residents, including 50 airlifted by hoist.

The highest rainfall total was recorded at five inches (13 centimetres) in Ventura County, according to the National Weather Service Los Angeles.

Much of the affected area is land scorched by the massive Thomas fire last month, where there is no vegetation to soak up the excess water.

About 275 traffic crashes were logged in the California Highway Patrol&#39;s jurisdiction in Los Angeles County during the morning commute -- compared with just 30 reported collisions during the same period on Tuesday last week.

An evacuation order was issued in a section of the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, which was hit by a mudslide that pulled cars out of driveways and carried them downstream.

The slide also caused a &quot;significant&quot; gas leak, and repair efforts left homes on the street with no gas, electricity or water.&nbsp;

&quot;There were many homes, about 40 to 45 homes, affected by it, a couple homes damaged,&quot; Burbank Fire Department Battalion Chief John Owings told local TV news channel KCAL9.

&quot;We performed two physical rescues at approximately 7 o&#39;clock this morning.&quot; &nbsp; &nbsp;

At Los Angeles International Airport, flooding forced the closure of the customs area in Terminal 2.&nbsp;

Forecasters warned that while the rain had appeared to subside by late morning, more showers and isolated thunderstorms were expected through the evening, with periods of very heavy rain.

The storm came after a 10-month dry spell in the area following torrential rains in January and February of last year. In &nbsp;2017, downtown Los Angeles experienced its driest March 1 through December 31 since 1878, with only 0.69 of an inch of rainfall, according to the National Weather Service. &nbsp;

Mudslides unleashed by a ferocious storm demolished homes in southern California and killed at least 13 people, police said Tuesday

Mudslides unleashed by a ferocious storm demolished homes in southern California and killed at least 13 people, police said Tuesday. Authorities said the bodies were discovered in mud and debris during rescue operations in Montecito, northwest of Los Angeles. "We are saddened to report that this incident so far has resulted in 13 confirmed fatalities, as result of the storm that came through our area last night," Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference, warning that he expected the death toll to increase. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department said on its Twitter feed it was using dogs to look for victims where multiple homes once stood in Montecito following heavy rain, with more than 20 people reported missing. The department posted pictures of rivers of waist-high mud flowing through neighbourhoods and roads rendered impassable by fallen trees. "Firefighters successfully rescued a 14-yr-old girl after she was trapped for hours inside a destroyed home in Montecito," it added. Roads were clogged throughout the region with mudflows shutting down more than 30 miles (50 kilometres) of the 101 Freeway and knocking a number of homes from their foundations. Pounding rain weakened south-facing slopes above Montecito and flooded a creek, sending mud and huge rocks rolling into housing areas. Emergency services told reporters at least "two dozen" people were missing with "several dozen" homes damaged or destroyed. They said they had rescued scores of residents, including 50 airlifted by hoist. The highest rainfall total was recorded at five inches (13 centimetres) in Ventura County, according to the National Weather Service Los Angeles. Much of the affected area is land scorched by the massive Thomas fire last month, where there is no vegetation to soak up the excess water. About 275 traffic crashes were logged in the California Highway Patrol's jurisdiction in Los Angeles County during the morning commute -- compared with just 30 reported collisions during the same period on Tuesday last week. An evacuation order was issued in a section of the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, which was hit by a mudslide that pulled cars out of driveways and carried them downstream. The slide also caused a "significant" gas leak, and repair efforts left homes on the street with no gas, electricity or water. "There were many homes, about 40 to 45 homes, affected by it, a couple homes damaged," Burbank Fire Department Battalion Chief John Owings told local TV news channel KCAL9. "We performed two physical rescues at approximately 7 o'clock this morning." At Los Angeles International Airport, flooding forced the closure of the customs area in Terminal 2. Forecasters warned that while the rain had appeared to subside by late morning, more showers and isolated thunderstorms were expected through the evening, with periods of very heavy rain. The storm came after a 10-month dry spell in the area following torrential rains in January and February of last year. In 2017, downtown Los Angeles experienced its driest March 1 through December 31 since 1878, with only 0.69 of an inch of rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.

California mudslides demolish homes, killing at least 13

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