How to Help Victims of the Montecito Mudslides
Seventeen people lost their lives in the coastal California town.
Just weeks after one of California's largest wildfires in history swept through Santa Barbara County, residents are dealing with another environmental disaster as heavy rains sent mud and boulders sliding down hills into homes in the coastal town of Montecito early Tuesday morning.
As of Thursday morning, the death toll has reached 17 people and there are currently eight missing, according to the Santa Barbara Country Sheriff's Office. Over 300 homes were damaged in the mudslides, while another 100 were completely destroyed, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Here's what you can do to help the victims of the mudslides:
Direct Relief
While Direct Relief provides medical relief to disaster victims around the world, the organization is based in Santa Barbara. To supports its hometown, the charity has staff on the ground in Montecito providing medical support.
"Many people have been evacuated from their homes as a result of the flooding," Lara Cooper, a reporter for Direct Relief, wrote in a statement. "Evacuations often leave people with chronic conditions vulnerable when medicines are not brought along. Without extra medication to manage diabetes, hypertension or asthma, a person can fall into medical crisis, forcing an emergency room visit or worse."
Donate directly through their website and select "Southern California Fires & Mudslides" from the drop-down menu.
Thomas Fire and Flood Fund
The United Way of Santa Barbara County and United Way of Ventura County already raised $2.6 million for a Thomas Fire Fund when the mudslides crashed through some of the same communities affected by December's wildfires. They are now refocusing their efforts to raise money for victims of both disasters.
To donate, visit United Way's website.
Santa Barbara Humane Society
The Santa Barbara Humane Society is helping provide emergency shelter and food for domestic animals of people who had to evacuate their homes, according to their Facebook page.
Donations can be made directly through their website.
