The deadly mudslide that brought destruction to the community of Oso, WA, last weekend has now officially claimed 21 lives (15 identified, 6 unidentified). An additional four victims have been found in the slide, but are not yet recovered, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s (ME’s) office. Scores remain unaccounted for, but the stories of rescue and compassion will inspire you.
According to KIRO news, “only local volunteers are being allowed to help rescuers.” Read on to see how you can help as well as learn about the science/controversy around the story.
What happened?
Mud and debris swept down a rain-saturated slope on Saturday March 22, a slope that had experienced a major mudslide in 2006. The landslide covers a 1-square-mile area; the community consisted of almost 50 homes.
The mudslide crossed the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River and buried homes and other buildings in the process. According to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), there were two large slides (10:37 a.m. and 10:41 a.m.) followed by several smaller slides over the next hour. Debris covers a mile-long stretch of SR530 (#530slide).
Search for mudslide missing comes down to shovels #530Slide – http://t.co/Rai35ScVxA pic.twitter.com/w3mtSHcqXz
— KOMO News (@komonews) March 28, 2014
Portions of Snohomish County remain under a flood warning and flash flood watch due to extensive area rain and the of the lake that has built up behind the instantly created debris-field dam.
For context, the Seattle area has experienced the wettest March on record, with more than twice average rainfall.
With 9.44", we've shattered old record for wettest March by more than an inch (8.40").
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) March 30, 2014
March was the second wettest on record for Darrington, east of Oso. Normal rainfall is 7.26 inches; Sunday the gauge stood at just shy of 19 inches.
Arlington, southwest of Oso, has had 7.7 inches of rain; the record of about 9 inches occurred in 2011. A typical March sees 4.57 inches of rain.
How you can help
HUGE thanks to all. We're overwhelmed with donations. We'd like to ask that only donations of cash come in at this time. #530slide
— Snohomish County (@snocounty) March 28, 2014
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Arlington (city):
The city of Arlington has set up a disaster relief account for slide victims has been set up at the downtown Union Bank through Cascade Valley Hospital Health Foundation. -
Gift cards:
Arlington native Molly Fay is raising money to provide $100 gift cards to affected families so they can buy what they need most. King5’s @GetJesse is raising money for gas cards for residents of Darrington, who have been cut off.Here's how you can help @GetJesse help with gas cards for #530slide. pic.twitter.com/QWQw7rXO0E
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) March 29, 2014
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Red Cross:
Cash donations are preferred; the American Red Cross is no longer collecting items. Donate to the Red Cross of Snohomish County or at the Red Cross site set up specifically for this effort. You also can text “RedCross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.How you can help #530slide victims? It's as easy as texting REDCROSS to 90999 for a $10 donation. More options: http://t.co/dinFjyd4lN
— The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) March 29, 2014
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Salvation Army:
Salvation Army Northwest is collecting donations for local relief. Designate your gift as “disaster relief.” -
United Way:
United Way of Snohomish County has also set up a site specifically for this effort. Checks may be sent to:
United Way of Snohomish County
Attn: Finance Dept.
3120 McDougall Ave., Ste. 200
Everett, WA 98201
More resources at the Everett Herald, the Bellingham Herald, KING5, MyNorthwest, Snohomish County and Washington Emergency Management.
Over $32,000 was raised for the @RedCross disaster relief fund tonight. #530slide
Thank you, #Sounders supporters.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) March 30, 2014
@Seahawks411 we are asking folks to donate to the #530slide relief efforts at http://t.co/gE9CdmgVUs http://t.co/e9SkHQiI96
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 28, 2014
Mudslide imagery
This comparison of the #530slide to downtown #Seattle never ceases to amaze me. #HelpOso special now on KIRO 7. pic.twitter.com/Hlkf97fVII
— Morgan Palmer (@MorganPalmer) March 29, 2014
- Everett Herald photo gallery
- NASA, arial view, March 25
- Seattle Times, arial interactive
- Washington State Governor’s Office, Flickr
Oso slide search dogs as tired, frustrated as human counterparts http://t.co/solklI6iOh #530slide pic.twitter.com/D4p7MRNISb
— KGW News (@KGWNews) March 28, 2014
Dogs rule. Their part of the search in Oso at 11. #OsoStrong. Thanks @KDrewKOMO for pic. #liveonKOMO pic.twitter.com/cIPK2Enj40
— Michelle Esteban (@MichelleKOMO) March 30, 2014
The science of mudslides
There is some controversy over permitted construction in the area, given the history of slides.
The hill that collapsed last weekend is referred to by geologists with different names, including Hazel Landslide and Steelhead Haven Landslide, a reference to the hillside’s constant movement. Some residents, according to a 1967 Seattle Times story, referred to it simply as “Slide Hill.”
After two landslides on the hill — one in 1949, another in 1951 — two state agencies, the Department of Game and the Department of Fisheries, commissioned a report from Seattle engineering firm William D. Shannon and Associates.
The 1949 slide was nearly 1,000 feet long and took out about 2,600 feet of the river bank, according to the Shannon report. The scarp — the face of the cliff where the slide broke away — was 70 feet tall in places. There were no injuries and no reports of structural damage.
In 1951, debris from the denuded slide area formed a mudflow that partially dammed the river. Shannon noted that the two creeks in the area are known as “Slide Creek” and “Mud Flow Creek.”
Based on a 2013 high-resolution lidar (light detection and ranging) survey of the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley, analysts at the USGS have estimated ages of prior slide activity (pdf).
The red cross-hatched area marks the approximate area of the March 22, 2014, landslide, based on media reports. Red zones (marked “A”) are youngest, orange zones (B) are older, brown zones (C) are older yet, and yellow zones (D) are the oldest. The 2006 Steelhead Haven landslide is also marked “A” and is overlapped by the 2014 slide. The 2006 and 2001 Skaglund Hill landslide to the southwest is also marked “A”. And “[the] actual extent of landslide deposits is probably greater than shown.”
Follow me on Twitter; I live about 40 miles from the slide area.
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com