Massive landslide completely destroys small Washington State riverside neighborhood
By Contributor
From Huffington Post
Searchers found another body Sunday in the debris from a massive landslide, bringing the death toll to at least four from the wall of mud and debris that also completely destroyed a small riverside neighborhood in Washington State.
At least 18 people remained missing, though authorities warned that number could grow.
Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said Sunday evening that crews were able to get out to the muddy, tree-strewn area after geologists flew over in a helicopter and determined it was safe enough for emergency responders and technical rescue personnel to search for possible survivors.
“We didn’t see or hear any signs of life out there today,” he said.
Despite that, Hots said crews were still in a “search and rescue mode. It has not gone to a recovery mode at this time.”
He said the search would continue until nightfall, when conditions would become too dangerous.
The 1-square-mile mudslide that struck Saturday morning also critically injured several people and destroyed about 30 homes.
Before crews could get onto the debris field late Sunday morning, they looked for signs of life in the quicksand-like mud below by helicopter.
Rescuers’ hopes of finding more survivors were buoyed late Saturday when they heard people yelling for help from within the debris field, but they were unable to reach anyone. The mud that destroyed as many as 30 homes was so thick and deep that searchers had to turn back.
