Three dead after massive mudslide in Washington
Three people have died after a massive mudslide in the American state of Washington.
The mudslide was 135ft wide and 54 metres deep, and destroyed six houses after covering a road near the town of Oso, about 55 miles north of Seattle.
According to the BBC, two people were killed at the scene, and one died later in hospital.
Several others were injured, including a six-month-old boy.
The Daily Telegraph reports that hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said two other victims were in a critical condition, including an 81-year-old man and a 58-year-old man, while a 37-year-old man was also in a serious condition.
Eyewitness Paulo Falcao de Oliveira told the Daily Herald that he was driving along and had to brake sharply to avoid the mudslide: "I just saw the darkness coming across the road. Everything was gone in three seconds."
When police arrived he wanted to help and tried to move some debris. He said he "heard a woman and a baby screaming" in the rubble.
De Oliveira had been running late, and was stuck behind a slow-driving vehicle. He said if he'd been going faster, he could have been wiped out by the mudslide.
"I had a car that was driving in front of me that was going so slow. I feel lucky," he added.
The mudslide is thought to have been triggered by heavy rain over the Cascade Mountains region, and more rain is expected, urging officials to warn some local residents to move to higher ground.
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