Waist deep California mudslides kill 13 

At least 13 people are dead amid "waist-deep" mudslides in Southern California, where heavy rains triggered flooding, say officials.

Some 163 people have been taken to hospital. Twenty had "storm-related injuries" and four were critically hurt.

A group of up to 300 people are reportedly trapped in Romero Canyon, east of Santa Barbara.

Police said the scene "looked like a World War One battlefield".

The flooding and mudslides, affecting areas scorched by wildfires last month, have shut down more than 30 miles (48km) of the main coastal road.

Emergency services said a number of people were unaccounted for and they expected the number of deaths to rise.

Thousands fled the deluge and more than 50 rescues have been performed.

The hardest-hit homes were those that were not in the evacuation zone, officials say.


The US Coast Guard has sent "multiple airships to support rescue operations" and warned the public not to fly drones, otherwise the flights would be grounded.

Thousands of California residents were asked to leave their homes on Monday for the second time in two months.

In Burbank, where waves of mud swept away vehicles, officials issued a mandatory evacuation order.


Homeowners in the area shared photos of mud in their homes.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#CAstorm</a>- A rainbow forms above Montecito while law enforcement and the curious survey the destruction on Hot Springs Road in Montecito. Deadly overnight mudflow and debris destroyed several homes in the area. <a href="https://t.co/R8wtVJ08dm">pic.twitter.com/R8wtVJ08dm</a></p>— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasonMike/status/950882534287536128?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Several roads are closed, including the major Highway 101.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#CAstorm</a>- A semi-tractor trailer  sits stuck in mud on US Highway 101 northbound just south of the San Ysidro Road offramp in Montecito. <a href="https://t.co/nHO11UxuJj">pic.twitter.com/nHO11UxuJj</a></p>— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasonMike/status/950879205176176640?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please see photos from the storm.  If you witness significant mud, debris or fast flowing water, do not try to cross, or drive a vehicle through it and shelter in place. <a href="https://t.co/RQNTHPc5z6">pic.twitter.com/RQNTHPc5z6</a></p>&mdash; City of Burbank (@BurbankCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BurbankCA/status/950831376760127488?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#CAstorm</a>- Military and other vehicles used to transport people who were rescued from flood waters drive at the intersection of Olive Mill Rd and Coast Village Road in Montecito.  The Montecito Inn is seen in the background and suffered damage. <a href="https://t.co/CRkCBIE5Zr">pic.twitter.com/CRkCBIE5Zr</a></p>— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasonMike/status/950881018684174336?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#CAstorm</a>-  With water levels receding, a vehicle is shown that was wrapped and tangled around a tree by the force of deadly flood waters and mudflow on Hot Springs Road in Montecito. In the background are homes that were completely destroyed. <a href="https://t.co/w3lp7bokhf">pic.twitter.com/w3lp7bokhf</a></p>— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) <a href="https://twitter.com/EliasonMike/status/950882066358460416?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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