Washington State Mudslide Near Oso Kills 3; Searchers Now Looking for the Missing & Survivors (Update: At Least 10 People Unaccounted For)(Update: Death Toll Rises to 8)(Update: Sadly Death Toll Now at 24, Up to 176 Missing)

Following a massive mudslide that came down on their homes in Washington state, near Oso, three people died Saturday and at least 12 people, including a six-month-old baby, were were hurt. Three people were also in critical condition in the hospital. At least 6 homes have been lost and 3 people have been killed to date. Responders in Snohomish County to the mudslide called it the worst slide, the worst natural disaster, they’ve seen in decades. People have been asked to evacuate the area. Many are heeding the warnings and evacuating themselves and their animals; however, some are staying behind.

VIDEO – KING5

The slide cut off the city of Darrington and dammed up the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, causing the water to pool behind the dam.

First responders in Snohomish County called it the worst slide, the worst natural disaster, they’ve seen in decades.

“Think back to what Mount St. Helens and Toutle River looked like — and that’s what we’re looking at,” said Rodney Rochon of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

The National Weather Service said the river level dropped from 3.1 feet to 0.9 feet in the hour after the slide occurred, confirming the river was blocked by the slide.

Alert – Flooding expected after OSO Mudslide.

Sheriff;s office requested this Alert will update again in AM. We are lifting evacuation order during DAYLIGHT hours. You can go home, but be ready to leave. Will likely reissue evacuation order tonight.

Snohomish County Emergency Information

• Follow us on Facebook Snohomish County to stay updated.
• Follow us online, Twitter.

UPDATE I: Rescue workers looking for survivors can hear the screams and cries for help of those missing and trapped.

After hearing voices pleading for help, rescuers were conducting an overnight search for survivors from a massive mudslide in Washington state that killed at least three people and forced evacuations because of fears of severe flooding.

The slide of mud, trees and rocks happened about 11 Saturday morning. Several people – including an infant – were critically injured and at least six houses were destroyed.

Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said at a news briefing late Saturday that searchers weren’t giving up on finding more people alive.

Map – Seattle Times

UPDATE II: CNN – SUNDAY Update: … ‘At least 10 people are unaccounted for’.

At least 10 people are unaccounted for after a landslide north of Seattle that’s already blamed for three deaths, a spokesman for Washington’s governor said Sunday.

At least six houses were destroyed in the landslide and possibly 16 were damaged, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office reported. Seven adults and a 6-month-old boy were rescued and sent to local hospitals, deputies said. But David Postman, a spokesman for Gov. Jay Inslee, said the whereabouts of at least 10 people were unknown Sunday morning.

 UPDATE II: Death toll rises to 8 in Wash. mudslide.

Eight people are now confirmed dead after a massive landslide slammed into homes Saturday near Oso, Wash., authorities said Sunday.

Snohomish County sheriff’s Lt. Rob Palmer said four more bodies were discovered late Sunday. Earlier in the day, authorities said one body had been found on the debris field. Three people were confirmed dead Saturday. Tod Gates, incident commander for the Northwest Washington Incident Management Team, also announced the new death toll at a community meeting Sunday.

More people still were missing, and authorities said the number was “fluid.” Earlier Sunday, they said there were at least 18 people missing, but that was before the additional bodies were discovered.

UPDATE III: Unofficial death toll rises to 24.

Washington state officials say crews have recovered two bodies and believe they have located another eight in the debris of a massive landslide, bringing the likely death toll to 24 amid diminishing hope of finding survivors as the search enters its fifth day.

Two more fatalities were recovered Tuesday and another eight found but not yet recovered, in addition to the 14 deaths already reported, according to Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots.

The mudslide, which struck the town of Oso on Saturday morning, also resulted in as many as 176 missing person reports, but officials said they could not tell how many were duplicates. Authorities are keeping the official toll at 16 until the eight other bodies are recovered.