Colorado Flooding Hits Home

Authorities have not released the identities of the people killed in the flood waters but the Denver Post and online reports said Wiyanna Nelson, formerly of Lompoc , and her boyfriend Wesley Quinlan, from Boulder, were swept away Thursday night.

Quinlan’s relatives and friends told the paper Nelson, Quinlan and several friends were returning from a birthday party when their car overturned. Three people climbed out and only one survived.

Facebook friends from Lompoc posted condolences on Quinlan’s page.

Nelson has been described as a former Lompoc High School water polo player.

Boulder County officials say at least 80 people were unaccounted for Friday.

Several dogs trained by the non-profit National Disaster Search Dog Foundation are working to find survivors.

Executive Director Debra Tosch said a golden retriever trained in Ojai was originally rescued in Colorado. Now the dog named Chief is back in the community where he was rescued helping his handler, a firefighter from Nebraska.

The dogs are trained to search for survivors who may be trapped in homes or buried in rubble. In just 20 minutes they can cover 10,000 square feet.

To donate, go to www.searchdogfoundation.org