Washington Landslide Death Toll Reaches 25 With 90 Still Missing

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Mar 27, 2014

Washington Landslide Death Toll Reaches 25 With 90 Still Missing

Ninety people are still missing after the devastating landslide in Washington washed away part of the town of Oso. The count of missing community members is down from the original estimate of 176 as search and rescue personnel continue to drugde through waist-high debri, but the death toll from the natural disaster is slowly rising.

A body was was recovered from the wreckage late Wednesday night which brings the number of known casualties to 25, including nine which searchers have not yet been able to pull from the debris. Personnel are now saying that remains of some victims may never be recovered reports Salem Radio Network News.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee told CNN that the death toll will probably continue to rise as personnel continues to search the area of about one square mile. “It’s been very sad that we have not been able to find anyone living now for probably 36 or 48 hours,” he said. “The most discouraging thing is we were hopeful that we would find folks who might be protected by a car or a structure, but the force of this landslide just defies imagination.”

Eight survivors have been recovered from the site, including a 22-week-old infant and his mother who are both hospitalized; the baby is in critical condition but continues to improve.



Washington Landslide Death Toll Reaches 25 With 90 Still Missing