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| President Obama: Pray for Washington mudslide victims | President Obama: Pray for Washington mudslide victims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| President Barack Obama has called on Americans to pray for the victims of a mudslide in the US state of Washington which has claimed at least 14 lives. | President Barack Obama has called on Americans to pray for the victims of a mudslide in the US state of Washington which has claimed at least 14 lives. |
| Officials say as many as 176 people remain unaccounted for after the 177ft (54m) wall of mud hit near the town of Oso, north of Seattle, on Saturday. | |
| Emergency officials said they expected the death toll to rise throughout Tuesday as they comb the debris field. | Emergency officials said they expected the death toll to rise throughout Tuesday as they comb the debris field. |
| Search crews have worked day and night, using helicopters and laser imaging. | Search crews have worked day and night, using helicopters and laser imaging. |
| "The total fatality rate remains at 14 and we're expecting that number to go up throughout the day," local fire chief Travis Hots told reporters on Tuesday. | "The total fatality rate remains at 14 and we're expecting that number to go up throughout the day," local fire chief Travis Hots told reporters on Tuesday. |
| 'Devastation beyond imagination' | 'Devastation beyond imagination' |
| President Obama, speaking during a news conference at a summit in the Netherlands earlier in the day, asked all Americans to send their thoughts and prayers to the victims. | President Obama, speaking during a news conference at a summit in the Netherlands earlier in the day, asked all Americans to send their thoughts and prayers to the victims. |
| "We know that part of this tightly knit community has been lost," he said. | "We know that part of this tightly knit community has been lost," he said. |
| "We hope for the best," he added, "but recognise this is a tough situation." | "We hope for the best," he added, "but recognise this is a tough situation." |
| He has declared an emergency in Washington state and ordered federal authorities to co-ordinate the disaster relief effort. | He has declared an emergency in Washington state and ordered federal authorities to co-ordinate the disaster relief effort. |
| Washington Governor Jay Inslee - after surveying the area from the air - said it was "devastation beyond imagination". | Washington Governor Jay Inslee - after surveying the area from the air - said it was "devastation beyond imagination". |
| He said the slide "basically cut a mountain in two" and deposited it on the town below. Nothing in the path of the slide was still standing. | He said the slide "basically cut a mountain in two" and deposited it on the town below. Nothing in the path of the slide was still standing. |
| "It's that absolute devastation that causes us all real pain," he said. | "It's that absolute devastation that causes us all real pain," he said. |
| Family members and volunteers were using chainsaws and their bare hands to shift the wreckage and try to find those missing. | Family members and volunteers were using chainsaws and their bare hands to shift the wreckage and try to find those missing. |
| Cory Kuntz, helped by others, worked with chainsaws to cut through the roof of his uncle's house, which was swept about 450ft from its location. | Cory Kuntz, helped by others, worked with chainsaws to cut through the roof of his uncle's house, which was swept about 450ft from its location. |
| He said his aunt, Linda McPherson, had been killed. He and the others pulled files and personal effects from the house. | He said his aunt, Linda McPherson, had been killed. He and the others pulled files and personal effects from the house. |
| "When you look at it, you just kind of go in shock," he said. | "When you look at it, you just kind of go in shock," he said. |
| 'Awful lot of grieving' | 'Awful lot of grieving' |
| Gail Moffett, a retired firefighter, said she knew about 25 people who were missing, including entire families with young children. | Gail Moffett, a retired firefighter, said she knew about 25 people who were missing, including entire families with young children. |
| At a news conference on Monday evening, Snohomish County emergency management director John Pennington said the official list of the missing stood at 176. | At a news conference on Monday evening, Snohomish County emergency management director John Pennington said the official list of the missing stood at 176. |
| But he said he did not think the final death toll would be so high, because some of those listed as unaccounted for would be found to be alive, and other names would prove to be duplicates. | But he said he did not think the final death toll would be so high, because some of those listed as unaccounted for would be found to be alive, and other names would prove to be duplicates. |
| Mr Pennington also said authorities no longer expected to find survivors in the debris. | Mr Pennington also said authorities no longer expected to find survivors in the debris. |
| "We as a community, we as a county, are beginning to realise that we are moving toward a recovery operation," he said. | "We as a community, we as a county, are beginning to realise that we are moving toward a recovery operation," he said. |
| "There is an awful lot of grieving." | "There is an awful lot of grieving." |
| The landslide left behind a cliff known as a head scarp 600ft high, Washington state geologist Dave Norman told reporters on Monday afternoon. | The landslide left behind a cliff known as a head scarp 600ft high, Washington state geologist Dave Norman told reporters on Monday afternoon. |
| "This is one of the biggest landslides I've seen," Mr Norman said. | "This is one of the biggest landslides I've seen," Mr Norman said. |
| About 30 homes were destroyed and more than half the town of Oso is missing - a recent census put its population at 180. | About 30 homes were destroyed and more than half the town of Oso is missing - a recent census put its population at 180. |