Washington State Continues Mudslide Search
Washington state landslide victim's relatives, that plagued two towns north of Seattle, continue to have hope that more missing loved ones will be extracted.
It has been four days since anyone has been found alive in the muddy mess. Son Ryan Neal spoke of his father Steve, "We're just keeping faith and hope in his ability to survive...He was a survival enthusiast, and he did enjoy trying to find ways to survive in extreme conditions. So, hopefully, those skills are serving him well." His dad was installing a home's hot water tank when the mudslide occurred.
Snohomish County Fire County Chief Travis Hots confirmed that 16 dead bodies have been found, while an additional eight bodes have been determined but not recovered. Rainfall has delayed the 200 person rescue mission assisted by search-and-rescue canines and bulldozers. He explained to journalists yesterday: "We haven't lost hope that there is a possibility that we could find somebody alive in some pocket area".
A total of 176 people are missing. Officials are hoping that the actual number of people is smaller, as there are duplicated names on their list. The complicated search includes houses that are now sunk under 30 to 40 feet of mud; much of the mud has the makeup of quicksand. From the Netherlands yesterday, President Barack Obama offered the following statement requesting: "all Americans to send their thoughts and prayers to Washington state and the community of Oso".