Before and after the mudslides in Montecito

After intense rains triggered deadly mudslides in the coastal California city of Montecito that swept away buildings and inundated roads, DigitalGlobe, a satellite imagery company, released images showing the extent of the destruction.

The images, made available late Thursday and taken from the company’s WorldView-2 satellite, show how mud and debris have buried and destroyed parts of the city.

Compare the images taken Wednesday with similar ones taken in April.

San Ysidro Creek

The Thomas Fire, the largest fire in California history, burned vegetation and altered the ground surface in the Santa Ynez Mountains above Montecito. This allowed water and mud to flow swiftly down the San Ysidro Creek toward developed areas.

Knowlwood

Mud and debris flowed from the scorched foothills roughly one mile downstream to the neighborhood around the Knowlwood Tennis Club, burying a number of homes in mud. More than 60 homes have been destroyed and an additional 400 have been damaged by the mudflows, according to Santa Barbara County.

Fernald Point

Approximately 1.5 miles from the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, multiple stretches of Highway 101 along the coast were inundated with mudflow, trapping semi-trailers and other vehicles in mud.

The Montecito Inn

The Montecito Inn, which sits along Highway 101, has been flooded with mud and debris, along with many other businesses in the vicinity.