Mudslide in La Conchita, California, 2005

On January 10, 2005, people who lived in the small oceanfront town of La Conchita, California, were horrified to hear a loud rumble. Weakened by heavy rains, the mountain overlooking the town began to crumble. Thousands of tons of mud mowed over trees, houses, and people. When it stopped, a huge hill contained fifteen houses and up to twenty-one people. In the days that followed, rescue workers and townspeople worked together to save as many as possible. In this heartbreaking account of the La Conchita mudslide, it becomes clear that even the best-laid plans are not always enough to ensure survival in the face of a natural disaster.