Death Toll Climbs in Washington Landslide

DEADLY LANDSLIDE
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4 Dead, 18 missing, 8 injured, dozens of homes destroyed after Washington state landslide

Death toll rose to at least four with 18 people reported missing, and 8 others injured after a large landslide in Washington state buried dozens of homes under mud and debris up to 5m (15 feet) deep, officials said.

The embankments along State Route 530 near Oso, Washington, about 55 miles north of Seattle, collapsed  on Saturday destroying dozens of homes.

“I am disappointed to tell you that after searching a very large area of that debris field on foot, we didn’t find anybody alive. There was no sign of life,” a Snohomish County Fire official told reporters.

A massive landslide near State Route 530, Oso, Washington on March 22, 2014 destroyed dozens of homes, killing at least 4 people and leaving 18 people missing. Photo Source: Washington State Department of Transportation/Handout via Reuters

The massive slide, covering about 2.6km² (1 sq mile), occurred in the rain-sodden foothills of the Cascade Mountains along the Stillaguamish River, leaving a trail of  mud, rock and debris up to 5m deep.

It blocked the North Fork of Stillaguamish River causing the water to pool behind the debris, and prompting the authorities to issue an evacuation notice downstream on Saturday.

Washington Gov. Inslee described the scene as “a square mile of total devastation” after flying over the disaster area.

State authorities have warned the number of missing could grow.