Rain hits Southern California’s fragile communities amid fear of flooding, mudslides

Lompoc City firefighter Chris Martinez, monitors Montecito Creek at the East Valley bridge as water volume increases from Wednesday’s rain.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

March 21, 2018 2:56 PM PT

Signs of water ponding along East Valley Road near San Ysidro Creek Wednesday afternoon, March 21, 2018.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

SANTA BARBARA, CA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2018 - Loreen Zakem and Holly go for a daily walk along Camino Viejo Rd. past one of dozens of homes destroyed in a January debris flow along Montecito Creek. Zakem lives nearby, but her home wasn‚Äôt damaged. Rain continues to fall on flood damaged area where residents, for the most part, have evacuated. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)