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Washington state mudslide: more bodies recovered Washington state mudslide: more bodies recovered
(35 minutes later)
Rescuers searching for survivors of a mudslide in Washington state recovered two bodies and believe they have located another eight, officials have said.Rescuers searching for survivors of a mudslide in Washington state recovered two bodies and believe they have located another eight, officials have said.
The official death toll rose to 16, with the possibility of 24 dead once the other bodies are confirmed.The official death toll rose to 16, with the possibility of 24 dead once the other bodies are confirmed.
The discoveries further demoralised the four-day search, as the threat of flash floods or another landslide loomed over the rescuers. With scores still missing from the slide that tore through a rural community north of Seattle on Saturday, authorities were working off a list of 176 people unaccounted for, though some names were believed to be duplicates and an updated number will be available on Wednesday. The discoveries further demoralised rescuers after a four-day search, as the threat of flash floods or another landslide loomed. With scores still missing from the slide that tore through a rural community north of Seattle on Saturday, authorities were working from a list of 176 people unaccounted for, though some names were believed to be duplicates.
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A Washington state patrol spokesman, Bob Calkins, said: "We're all still hoping for that miracle but we are preparing for the other possibility."A Washington state patrol spokesman, Bob Calkins, said: "We're all still hoping for that miracle but we are preparing for the other possibility."
With the developments came word that a scientist working for the government had warned 15 years ago about the potential for a catastrophic landslide in the community. With the developments came word that a scientist working for the government had warned 15 years ago about the potential for a catastrophic landslide in the community. The 1999 report by geomorphologist Daniel Miller raises questions about why residents were allowed to build homes in the area and whether officials had taken proper precautions.
The 1999 report by geomorphologist Daniel Miller raises questions about why residents were allowed to build homes in the area and whether officials had taken proper precautions. "I knew it would fail catastrophically in a large-magnitude event," though not when it would happen, said Miller, who was hired by the US army Corps of Engineers to do the study. "I was not surprised."
"I knew it would fail catastrophically in a large-magnitude event," though not when it would happen, said Miller, who was hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers to do the study. "I was not surprised." Snohomish County officials and authorities in the devastated rural community of Oso said they were not aware of the study. The area has long been known as the "Hazel Landslide" because of landslides over the past half-century. The last major landslide before Saturday's disaster was in 2006.
Snohomish County officials and authorities in the devastated rural community of Oso said they were not aware of the study. The area has long been known as the "Hazel Landslide" because of landslides over the past half-century. The last major one before Saturday's disaster was in 2006.
The director of Snohomish County emergency department, John Pennington, said: "We've done everything we could to protect them."The director of Snohomish County emergency department, John Pennington, said: "We've done everything we could to protect them."
No landslide warnings for the area were issued immediately before the disaster, which came after weeks of heavy rain. The rushing wall of quicksand-like mud, trees and other debris flattened about two dozen homes and critically injured several people.No landslide warnings for the area were issued immediately before the disaster, which came after weeks of heavy rain. The rushing wall of quicksand-like mud, trees and other debris flattened about two dozen homes and critically injured several people.
Near the southern perimeter of the slide, volunteers from a logging crew gathered to help move debris with chain saws, excavators and other heavy equipment.Near the southern perimeter of the slide, volunteers from a logging crew gathered to help move debris with chain saws, excavators and other heavy equipment.
Gene Karger said he could see six orange flags in the debris field, marking bodies they would be pulling out. Karger, a logger most of his life, said it was the first time he was involved in this kind of rescue work. Karger said: "You see parts of their bodies sticking out of the mud. It's real hard. It's that bad. There are people out there we know."Gene Karger said he could see six orange flags in the debris field, marking bodies they would be pulling out. Karger, a logger most of his life, said it was the first time he was involved in this kind of rescue work. Karger said: "You see parts of their bodies sticking out of the mud. It's real hard. It's that bad. There are people out there we know."
The fire chief, Travis Hots, said about 200 responders using everything from heavy equipment and search dogs to their bare hands were working through the debris field Tuesday in rainy, wet conditions. He said: "We didn't locate anybody alive. We haven't lost hope that there's a possibility that we can find somebody alive in some pocket area."The fire chief, Travis Hots, said about 200 responders using everything from heavy equipment and search dogs to their bare hands were working through the debris field Tuesday in rainy, wet conditions. He said: "We didn't locate anybody alive. We haven't lost hope that there's a possibility that we can find somebody alive in some pocket area."