Evacuation orders to be lifted for parts of Montecito on Tuesday, sheriff's department says

MONTECITO, Calif. (KABC) -- Evacuation orders and warnings are scheduled to be lifted for parts of Montecito on Tuesday afternoon, two weeks after the community was devastated by mudslides that killed at least 21 people.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, mandatory evacuation orders will be rescinded in the following areas at noon:

-Ayala Lane

-Ashley Road, north of Sycamore Canyon Road to the 700 block of Ashley Road

-East of Cold Springs Road

At the same time, voluntary evacuation orders will be lifted for:

-North of the 101 Freeway

-West of Olive Mill Road/Mesa Road/Oak Road

-South of Hot Springs Road/Sycamore Canyon Road

-East of Eucalyptus Hill Road/El Rancho Road/Camino Viejo Road/Summit Road/Hot Springs Road

The area east of the locations described above will remain under a mandatory evacuation order, according to a county news release.

"The boil water notice for the area is still in effect," the Monday statement said, adding that the restoration of certain utilities was ongoing. "Residents returning to the area are asked to drive cautiously due to the ongoing presence of heavy truck traffic."

VIDEO: River of mud rushes down Montecito street as family scrambles for safety

Dramatic new video shows what it was like for one family at the moment a wall of mud hit their home.

County officials held a community meeting in nearby Santa Barbara to update residents on the progress of search-and-recovery and cleanup efforts.

Two people remain missing in the aftermath of the catastrophe: a 2-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy.

The 101 Freeway reopened Sunday following a two-week shutdown due to mud and debris. Drivers may face late-night closures on the 101 due to still-needed roadwork.

The repopulation of some neighborhoods has been slowed due to the destruction of some bridges that were felled by the mudslides.

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In this Jan. 15, 2018 image, the 101 Fwy is seen under water and mud as clean-up crews work to clear roads in Montecito. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP

"It is very stressful being out of your home, now going on two weeks," said Montecito resident Sam Allevato, who attended the meeting. "For many people, they don't even have a home to come back to. Or they're burying their family, relatives. It's really a very tragic event."

The sheriff's department has established a unit assigned to escort residents back into their neighborhoods. Next week, a community advisory group will be formed to answer homeowners' questions about what to do with mud on their property, among other issues.

VIDEO: Aerial footage of Montecito shows before-and-after view of devastated homes

Amid a massive cleanup operation in the Montecito, a satellite view from shows the destruction wrought by flooding and mudslides in the area.