Posted on 03/22/2014 6:02:20 PM PDT by zeestephen
Three people were killed and eight were injured in a mile-long mudslide near Seattle that completely demolished at least six houses Saturday morning and caused flooding.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
flooding of north fork of Stillaguamish R. the residents are being advised to leave the flood plan area from Oso to Stanwood and SR530 is closed between Arlington and Darrington
RIP.
The NWS in Seattle now thinks that the downstream flooding potential is minimal.
Flooding has always been a problem there. They build homes in areas that should have home building.
Interesting that it happened now. We had heavy rains, but nothing to speak of in the past few days. The weather has actually been quite nice.
Damn global warming.
follow-on articles:
(pic)
http://seattletimes.com/html/home/index.html
and
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023201818_mudslidexml.html
The news said they had 11+ inches of rain in that area - I’m guessing they meant so far this month. I suppose it takes awhile for the water to get down through the soils and into where the slippery slide plane is. Or, just the weight of the soil, given enough time, will finally give.
Sounds like the risk of a flashflood is low - so that is good news. Not much condolence for those that have lost loved ones and all that they own I suppose. I can’t imagine. Prayers that they have the comfort of others tonight.
Great aerial photo link.
Thanks.
Looks like there is a huge strip of downed green trees just below the highest and steepest part of the slope.
I can’t tell if the slide fell forward on top of those trees, or, if the ground below the trees just cut loose and took all the tree roots with it.
Check the small print below the main photo at the link I posted, there is a ‘photos’ link.
#’s 5, 7, 11, 16, 20, 22 are the ones to zero in on. #22 gives an great ‘in context’ view - it’s a huge slide - looks to be a good quarter of the hill. I did a quick check of the earthquake maps and nothing to write home about, mostly 1’s. I do know they’ve received a lot of rain in the past month or so, but is that enough to bring down an entire hillside?
I think the main problem now, besides destroyed homes and missing people, is the tons of debris blocking the river. They’re preparing for one of two things to happen tonite - either the river tries to go around the debris dam, undercutting the hill, or the debris dam won’t hold the river and will burst, and they get a wall of water flooding downstream - neither of which are good. I’m sure it will be a long night for locals.
Yes - the water is enough, and is the main reason these things slide. Another factor is recent modifications to the landscape. (Well, “recent” in geologic terms.) Like the road. I don’t know, but it may have been cut into the hillside years ago and weakening it. Logging can also be a factor - but it looks like that hill was full of trees - now mixed in with the debris.
They said on the news at 10:30pm that they are still searching as they hear voices in the debris - perhaps children. So sad. Prayers of guidance and strength.
Yikes!
Local news is reporting that the debris is at least 130 feet wide but 180 feet deep!
Thanks - I completely missed the link to other photos.
I think I figured out how that big swath of green trees got there with almost no debris on top of it.
Those are the trees from the very top of the slide.
They came forward when the hill split in two, and then just dropped straight down when the soil underneath them kept moving forward.
Looking at King5 on the PC. The thing is over a square mile in area (5000 x 5000 sq. feet plus).
They have 18 missing. The voices they heard last night they tried to reach but debris and mud is too unsafe for rescuers after they made an attempt to get to where they thought they heard them. A reminder for other events - the police, fire, etc. will not always be there to help you. Not that one can do anything about a mudslide of course, but other events such as bad weather, riots, etc. that might befall us.
Two small neighborhoods were wiped out, as well as the homes along the main road. And any cars on the road.
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