Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP/Getty Images
Dozens of residents of a remote community in the mountains of Ventura County had to be evacuated from their homes after winter storms washed out the only access road to the town.
By air, rescuers transported about 70 residents after rains isolated Matilija Canyon.
The authorities considered that It could take a few months before the works that allow communication by land are completed.
The community is located a few miles north of Ojai, in the Los Padres National Forest.
Highway 33 is the only land access road to the communitybut the storms dropped about 17 inches of rain in the area and much of the road collapsed.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies had to perform at least 10 helicopter flights in order to evacuate the residents of the community. However, some people chose to stay in their homes, despite the warnings.
Authorities mentioned that work to repair the road could take months.
“I don’t see the access situation changing in the immediate future. At the very least, I would say a couple of weeks to secure some sort of temporary access, and then many, many months for the actual repairs to occur,” said Patrick Maynard of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The authorities provided shelter and food to some of the displaced community residentswhile other people sought lodging with family and friends.
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