Washington State Landslide, Saturday 22 March 2014

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At least 18 people now unaccounted for in landslide north of Seattle.

The toll from Saturday’s disaster north of Seattle stood at eight dead and seven injured, Snohomish County Emergency Management Director John Pennington said. The number of people unaccounted for ballooned from 18 to 108, but that doesn’t mean all of them are trapped somewhere in the wall of earth, he said. Ireton said some names on that list “could be overlaps.”


 CNN

Fears of new collapse complicate Washington landslide rescue

By Matt Smith, CNN
March 24, 2014 — Updated 2319 GMT (0719 HKT)

(CNN) — The number of dead and missing after a deadly weekend landslide in rural Washington grew Monday as fears of a new collapse drove searchers off part of the pile left behind.

Rescuers aided by dogs, sonar equipment and aircraft were still trying to find trapped survivors in Oso, a remote town north of Seattle, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Shari Ireton said. About 100 people were attacking the slide from both sides. But authorities grew concerned that another slide could occur Monday afternoon, she said.

Geologists were advising the rescue effort on the risks, Ireton said, but in the meantime, “Ground crews have been pulled back.”

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This image, released by the Washington State Department of Transportation, shows the hillside that gave way in the upper left. It also shows the blocked highway and river. This image, released by the Washington State Department of Transportation, shows the hillside that gave way in the upper left. It also shows the blocked highway and river.

Dave Norman, a Washington state geologist, said the landslide was about 4,400 feet wide with a wide debris field.

“This is one of the biggest landslides I have ever seen,” Norman said.

The affected area includes 35 traditionally built houses, 13 manufactured homes and RVs and a cabin, Pennington told reporters. About half were occupied full time, while some others were vacation homes.

Pennington said the slide’s occurrence over a weekend was more challenging for rescuers because more people were apt to be home than on a weekday. Victims could also include “contractors and other workers” in the neighborhood as well as others who were “driving by,” he said.

Authorities have worked feverishly to find survivors.

 http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/24/us/washington-landslide/index.html

INCREDIBLE PHOTO: Aerial view of deadly Washington State landslide. 8 dead, dozens others reported missing Pic

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Aggressive search efforts are underway to find survivors of a landslide that killed 8 people:

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1 Response to Washington State Landslide, Saturday 22 March 2014

  1. wildninja's avatar wildninja says:

    Thanks for posting. Here are some ways to help this small community: http://wildninjablog.com/2014/03/25/oso-aid/.

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