http://youtu.be/OcbjXefJwrk
A massive mudslide hit Washington on Saturday morning which left at least 14 people dead and many others trapped under the debris. Search and rescue operations are still underway, but there is little hope to find any survivors. The death toll caused by falling trees, debris and rocks that swept through the rustic population is likely to rise further. According to one of the latest reports, the list of possible people missing topped over 170 following the disaster which occurred in a small locality called Ozo, somewhere 55 miles northeast of Seattle.
Many people are still unaccounted and the panic among the people is rising. President Obama has declared a state of emergency ordering federal aid to the affected community. Some people, in an attempt to find their family members, used their hands to dig through the rubble. However, the authorities at the Snohomish County tried to reassure people by saying that the number of people dead is an exaggeration as it includes many duplicate names.
Many of those who died are believed to be construction workers, who were working close to the place where the slide occurred. Many houses were destroyed completely and the debris has led to the blockage of the highway. The authorities are now taking the help of air-crafts, heavy equipments and dogs to take the rescue operation to the next level.
Some people who live in the neighborhood rescued a dog which raised hope of finding people trapped alive under the debris. The landslide occurred as a result of torrential rains that led to the terrain getting unstable. Those who are involved in the rescue operations are under severe threat as more rains can cause another landslide.
People of the close-knit community are helping each other out at this time of crisis and are hoping for the bad hour to pass.