1. MUDSLIDE IN WASHINGTON STATE, USA SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2014 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA

2. LOCATION MAP

6. SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WASHINGTON STATE

7. THIS SITE AND THE MUDSLIDE WERE NOT SURPRISES

8. PRIOR PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES In 2006 after a smaller landslide occurred on the north fork of the Stillaguamish River, millions of dollars were spent on regional mitigation measures.

9. PRIOR PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES In 2010, a report commissioned by the county in order to be in compliance with federal regulations identified the hillside that collapsed Saturday outside of the community of Oso as particularly susceptible.

10. THE 2014 MUDSLIDE Officials described the mudslide as "a big wall of mud and debris” that blocked about a mile of State Route 530 near the town of Oso, about 55 miles north of Seattle.

11. THE 2014 MUDSLIDE The slide, which occurred on Saturday morning, was triggered by heavy rainfall and reported to be about 25 m (80 feet) deep in some parts.

12. WALL OF MUD MOVED AFTER HEAVY RAINFALL

13. THE MUDSLIDE

15. The 15 million cubic feet mudslide destroyed about 50 homes

16. DESTROYED HOME

17. PREPARING FOR S AND R

18. SEARCH AND RESCUE WAS HALTED FOR MOST OF SATURDAY BECAUSE THE SITE WAS UNSTABLE

19. FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY RESCUED ON SATURDAY

20. THE DILEMNA FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS The debris pile is about a square mile (2 1/2 square kilometers) and 30 to 80 feet (9 to 25 meters) deep in places, with a surface that includes quicksand- like muck, rain-slickened mud, and ice. The terrain is difficult to navigate on foot and very treacherous when heavy equipment is brought in.

21. S AND R: SLOW, DANGEROUS WORK WITH FEW SUCCESSES

22. S AND R: SLOW, DANGEROUS WORK

23. HOPING FOR A FEW MORE MIRACLE RESCUES

24. AN ALL OUT EFFORT A total of 156 workers were taking part in search and recovery efforts on Tuesday and 50 National Guard members were expected to join later in the day..

25. THE SEARCH INTENSIFIES

26. Specialized teams and high- tech equipment — including technology to locate cellphone pings under the wreckage — were being deployed on Tuesday

27. AN ALL OUT EFFORT With search and cadaver dogs leading the way, rescuers used small bulldozers and their bare hands to push through sludge strewn with splintered homes and twisted cars to find 10 more bodies in the debris of the mudslide.

28. SLOW DANGEROUS WORK

29. --- AS CONTINUING RAINFALL INCREASED THE RISK TO THE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS FROM POSSIBLE FLASH FLOODS AND ADDITIONAL MUDSLIDES

30. THE DILEMNA FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS To make matters worse, the debris pile includes other hazards such as fallen trees, propane and septic tanks, twisted vehicles, and countless pieces of shattered homes

31. SLOW DANGEROUS WORK

32. Snohomish County Fire Chief Travis Hots hailed the rescue crews Thursday as “unsung heroes,” noting their tireless efforts to continue searching for bodies.

33. Due to the dangerous environment, as bodies are being discovered underneath the rubble, they are being flown out together in groups each afternoon instead of one at a time in helicopters.

34. Some survivors began to grow impatient Wednesday when they weren't allowed to return to the sites of their homes to search for their valuables and memorabilia..

35. 176 MISSING 14 DEAD AS OF TUESDAY, MARCH 25

36. AT LEAST 100 MISSING 24 DEAD AS OF WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

37. March 29 marked a week since a chunk of rain- soaked hillside 1,500 feet long tumbled onto a river near the tiny community of OSA, smothering a state road and swallowing up.dozens of homes

38. ONE WEEK LATER: SATURDAY, MARCH 29

39. A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR THE DEAD AND THE LIVING

40. EXHAUSTED DOGS TAKE 2 DAYS OFF

41. AT LEAST 30 MISSING 28 DEAD AS OF SATURDAY, MARCH 29

42. AT LEAST 13 MISSING 30 DEAD AS OF THURSDAY, APRIL 3

43. IT IS NOW PAINFULLY CLEAR THAT SOME BODIES WILL NEVER BE RECOVERED

44. April 5, 2014, 7:14 AM An interdenominational memorial service was held in Arlington, Washington for the victims, families and rescuers of a deadly mudslide in Washington State, which killed 30 and left 13 missing.