Just two days following her Golden Globes speech, Oprah Winfrey’s home has been impacted by the deadly mudslides in Santa Barbara, California. Veuer's Natasha Abellard (@NatashaAbellard) has the story. Buzz60
Some of Montecito's famous residents — Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey — are speaking out about the devastating mudslides that have ravaged Southern California on DeGeneres' daytime talk show in an episode airing Thursday.
The one-two punch of fire and downpour-fueled debris flows have debilitated the affluent, picturesque community of about 10,000 people. The slides have killed at least 17, destroyed an estimated 100 homes, and sent rescuers scrambling through the rubble searching for dozens who are missing.
"This room is always so full of positivity and love and today I really need it," the comedian told her audience.
"One of the things that I want to talk about is you know, we’ve had these terrible fires all over California and one of the hardest hit areas is where I live in Montecito," she continued. DeGeneres said following the blazes, she was able to return to her house at the tail-end of last month. She said she was filled with pride to see signs throughout the community of people expressing their gratitude to firefighters and first responders. "I just love this place," she said.
However, DeGeneres shared the rain washed away her short-lived bliss.
"Sunday night, Portia (de Rossi) and I got a call that we’re under mandatory evacuation, again, with most of the community of Montecito. So again, we evacuated because they feared mudslides," the host said. "After everything we’ve been through I think a lot of people thought they were just being overly cautious, but exactly what they feared happened. The rain triggered massive mudslides. Massive."
The death toll from the powerful debris flows that hit the Southern California community of Montecito has risen to 15. The storm that slammed the California coastal community is over. The search for victims continues. (Jan. 10) AP
"There are families missing, there are people who are missing family members," DeGeneres said. "They’re finding people and bodies and I mean, you hear the word mudslide and you have no idea the impact that it has... (Montecito) is beyond recognizable."
DeGeneres also FaceTimed with her neighbor, Winfrey, who told DeGeneres that she wasn't aware of the mudslides until people inquired about her home.
"Everyone was saying to me, 'How's your property?'" she said. "I'm looking out the front window, I think everything's fine, everything's fine, and it wasn't until I put my boots on and went outside walking and I realized everything wasn't indeed fine."
Winfrey said while walking around she saw some of her neighbors homes were "gutted," while others are "gone, just gone."
She said as her house was positioned on a knoll, she felt secure and that despite being informed she wouldn't have water or gas, she feels grateful.
"I am blessed and I am going to do whatever I can for the rest of the community," she said, "and we all just love the firefighters."
Other celebrities have taken to social media to speak out about the destruction.
"Mourning the dead in our little town tonight," actor Rob Lowe tweeted Tuesday. "Praying for the survivors and preparing for whatever may come. #Montecito"
Model Bella Hadid referred to the community as her hometown in an Instagram post also shared Tuesday.
"I really can't believe it," she captioned the picture. "I am praying and thinking so much for our friends in the hospital and their families that are still missing."
Sharing the same photo as her sister, Gigi Hadid asked her Twitter followers to "Please keep the families of Santa Barbara in your thoughts and prayers."
John Bacon and Megan Diskin contributed to this report.
![Marco Farell gets a few of his belongings out of his]()
1 of 43![Two firefighters get a safe out of a flooded house]()
2 of 43![The devastation of the mud slide in Montecito.]()
3 of 43![Jester, a search dog, with Region Task Force 10 checks]()
4 of 43![A couple of residents try to walk through two feet]()
5 of 43![A friend of a resident looks at the devastation cause]()
6 of 43![Julie Purcell with Region Task Force 10 walks with]()
7 of 43![A couple of residents take their boots off after attempting]()
8 of 43![Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Search]()
9 of 43![A CalTrans worker searches a portion of the 101 Freeway]()
10 of 43![Residents check a mud inundated home in Montecito.]()
11 of 43![A cyclist rides down a mud covered street in Montecito.]()
12 of 43![Workers clear a mud inundated road in Carpenteria.]()
13 of 43![A firefighter conducts search and rescue efforts in]()
14 of 43![Fremont City Firefighter Jordan Castro checks vehicles]()
15 of 43![Teresa Drenick stands in her sister's Montecito home]()
16 of 43![A Los Angeles County firefighter walks with his dog]()
17 of 43![Firefighters search for people trapped in mudslide]()
18 of 43![A member of the Long Beach Search and Rescue team looks]()
19 of 43![Cars sit in mud at a housing complex in Montecito,]()
20 of 43![Mud and debris rest on a roadway after heavy rains]()
21 of 43![A man who gave his name only as Ian rides his bike]()
22 of 43![This photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire]()
23 of 43![This photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire]()
24 of 43![A women is hoisted with the help of a San Bernardino]()
25 of 43![A structure is smashed against a tree along Hot Springs]()
26 of 43![Mud fills the interior of a car destroyed in a rain-driven]()
27 of 43![Phillip Harnsberger crosses through mud from a flooded]()
28 of 43![Debris from a swollen creek blocks Via Real in Carpinteria.]()
29 of 43![An arial view of Montecito.]()
30 of 43![LAPD closes La Tuna Canyon road in Sun Valley neighborhood]()
31 of 43![Firefighters respond to a mud and debris flow due to]()
32 of 43![Carpinteria resident Jeff Gallup carries his bike through]()
33 of 43![A bulldozer operator begins to clear a car trapped]()
34 of 43![Mud and water covers U.S. 101 freeway with runoff water]()
35 of 43![A rescue team removes their boat after a swift water]()
36 of 43![A CalTrans worker clears mud away from a car that was]()
37 of 43![Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighters work to clear]()
38 of 43![Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighters work to clear]()
39 of 43![Reilly, a Santa Barbara County Fire search dog, looks]()
40 of 43![Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighters work to clear]()
41 of 43![Santa Barbara County Firefighters rescue a 14-year-old]()
42 of 43![Santa Barbara County Firefighters rescue two men and]()
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