Written by Niko Vercelletto
Saturday, March 22nd, a massive mudslide came down on various homes near Oso, 55 miles northeast of Seattle. Since that day, the number of confirmed dead is 21, with multiple people injured, 30 still missing and almost 20 homes destroyed.
The slide blocked off the city of Darrington and clogged up the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, causing the water to collect behind the blockage, creating a new threat of flooding in the area.
Many first responders in Snohomish have said it to be the worst slide they have ever seen. Crews have built a temporary road, connecting one side of the debris field to the other which has greatly helped the recovery operation. Rescuers have had to deal with hazardous conditions such as septic tanks and gasoline containers. When rescuers leave the site, they are hosed down by hazardous materials crew. Their main focus is clearing debris from the high way and rescuing any potential survivors.
The Red Cross is assisting in the recovery efforts and shelters have been stationed at Post Middle School in Arlington and the community center in Darrington. Almost 100 first responders were on the scene including the U.S Navy, Washington State Patrol and the Department of Emergency Management.
