On January 10, 2005, La Conchita, California
experienced a landslide and debris flow, the second in less than ten years
(the first was in the spring of 1995.) 10 people were killed in this tragic
event and homes lost in the 156-home community. Suffering the loss of their
family members were Jimmie Wallets and his daughter Jasmine.
The landslide occurred on a less than normal day. There
were rains the night before and a tornado watch in the morning. Highway 101
was closed, and residents were unable to leave La Conchita, though they
could walk across the highway to the beach. They planned a barbecue that day
and some like Jimmie Wallets and his family planned to go treasure-hunting
on the beach -- looking for arrowheads that might have washed ashore. Jimmy
left home for a few minutes to buy ice cream treats for the kids at the
corner store. He wanted to give the kids a treat while he and Michelle
packed belongings in case they decided to leave.
The market was closed, and as Jimmie talked with neighbors about what they
would barbecue, the hills came crashing down. Mud flowed from the hill above
onto houses, trailers and cars. The mud hit a retaining wall, formed a "y"
and rolled straight for Wallet's house.
He ran toward the home approximately 60 feet away and the flow stopped just
yards in front of him. He did not know it at the time, but mud pushed his
home across the street. A tree fell, hit his house and split the structure
in two. Jimmie ran to the spot where his house stood just seconds before.
Instead, there was a 30-foot pile of mud. Nothing but mud.
La Conchita was once a thriving residential town on the
east side of Highway 101 across from La Conchita-Seacliff Beach and Mussel
Shoals. Located north of Ventura with its nearest city, Carpinteria just a five or ten minute drive away (to the north), the
hamlet consists of several streets and a gas station/ general store. A railroad
track separates residents from the highway and aside from the regularly
scheduled views of passing trains, they enjoy the blue Pacific out the
windows and doors of their homes.
Landslide in 1995: Many people were evacuated
because of the slide and the houses nearest the slide were completely
destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed or injured.
