Rescue crews turn to recovery efforts in California

Crews in Montecito, Calif., used bulldozers and heavy equipment Monday to clear U.S. 101 of mud and debris still several feet deep nearly a week after flooding and mudslides devastated the picturesque coastal community. Officials hoped to have the highway open by now, but the water didn’t drain from the lowest sections until Sunday. That evening, thousands of mourners gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the victims. The death toll now stands at 20, with four people still missing. The deluge destroyed at least 65 homes and damaged 460 others. “It is not until you can see the damage with your own eyes that you can come to understand the magnitude of the incident, the response that is necessary, but most importantly the impact to the citizens and families of Santa Barbara County,” said Jim Shivers, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation. Officials stopped looking for survivors over the weekend, transitioning from search and rescue to recovery operations.