In the wake of the deadly mudslide that struck Oso, Wash., on March 22, 2014, elements of the Washington National Guard have responded to a request from Snohomish County. Oso, a rural town in Snohomish County, is located 55 miles northeast of Seattle. The death toll stands officially at 21. At least 26 bodies have been found in the aftermath of the mudslide, but the official toll only includes the 21 that have been positively identified by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office. “Governor [Jay] Inslee has promised that state agencies will step up to help, and they have in ways that I haven’t ever seen,” said John Pennington, director of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, in a statement. “We are humbled beyond belief, and we’re very grateful.” The immense size of the area affected by the mudslide has prompted the rescue and recovery efforts to be divided into an east and west section. As of March 27, 90 people remain unaccounted for, with no survivors having been found for days. The earlier report of 140 missing persons was winnowed down to 90 as the American Red Cross verified people as being safe.
A map showing the area affected by the March 22, 2014, mudslide in Oso, Wash. Map courtesy of Snohomish County