MONTECITO, Jan 15 — Search and rescue teams combed the aftermath of a deadly mudslide in southern California on Sunday as authorities confirmed another death, raising the number of fatalities to 20, officials said.

Four people remained missing after the mudslides, according to an update posted on Santa Barbara County’s website, which warned that the figure could "fluctuate significantly”.

"The unstable environment remains a critical threat to civilians and responders. The large amounts of mud and debris are making access and progress challenging,” the joint statement from several state and local agencies said.

"Search and rescue remains the highest priority.”

The slide left 28 people injured and destroyed 65 homes and eight businesses in Montecito, a community just east of the city of Santa Barbara. Many more buildings were damaged or threatened.

Heavy rain on Tuesday, which followed 10 months of drought, sent rivers of mud and debris flowing down the hills into Montecito.

Massive wildfires in the area forced evacuations in December, and the mudslides struck just two weeks after people returned.

The fires burned most vegetation, leaving perfect conditions for the latest disaster to unfold. — AFP