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On March 22, 2014, a mudslide swept down Skaglund Hill, just east of Oso, Washington, killing at least 14 people and causing the disappearance of many more. At about 11 a.m., the mudslide flowed across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, through a neighborhood of some 30 homes, and crossed Highway 530, damming the river and completely blocking the highway. More than 100 first responders from Snohomish and surrounding counties were dispatched to assist with medical aid and search-and-rescue efforts.

The hill has a history of instability, and experienced up to 200 percent normal rainfall over the previous 45 days, The 1-square-mile (2.6 km) slide was described by witnesses as a "fast-moving wall of mud" containing trees and other debris cutting through homes directly beneath the hill. One survivor rescued by bystanders was a six-month old baby pulled out of the mud and taken for medical treatment. A firefighter stated, "When the slide hit the river, it was like a tsunami.” The Washington state geologist said the slide was one of the largest landslides he'd seen. The mud, soil and rock debris left from the mudslide is 1,500 ft (460 m) long, 4,400 ft (1,300 m) wide and deposited debris 30 to 40 ft (9.1 to 12.2 m) deep.

The slide blocked the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River which backed up eastward toward the nearby town of Darrington. By that evening, officials were concerned that the mud and debris dam could fail, causing downstream flooding. As of 23 March 2014, the river began flowing through a hole in the mud dam. As of 24 March 2014, a flash flood watch issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect. However, the river was flowing past the dam and the upstream pool depth had stabilized. Highway 530 was closed indefinitely and an alternative route around the slide was being prepared by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Late in the evening of March 22, 2014, Washington state Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen declared a state of emergency in Snohomish County. State Governor Jay Inslee toured the area by air the following day before joining county officials at a news conference.

As of March 24, 2014, 14 people were confirmed dead and there were 176 reports of people missing or unaccounted for.

References

1. Berman, Mark (March 24, 2014). "Everything you need to know about the Washington landslide". Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
2. ^ "Death toll rises to 14 in Snohomish County landslide". KING 5 News and Associated Press. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
3. 14 dead; 108 reports of missing people, Seattle Times, March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2014
4. "Mudslide witness: 'Everything was gone in 3 seconds'". Everett Herald. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
5. Mark Leberfinger (March 24, 2014). "Death Toll From Washington Landslide Climbs to Eight". AccuWeather.com. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
6. Elisha Fieldstadt and Alexander Smith (March 24, 2014). "Rescuers Search 'Quicksand' for Survivors of Washington Mudslide". NBC News. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
7. Angel Gonzalez, Coral Garnick, Jack Broom (March 23, 2014). "3 die in mudslide east of Arlington, 6 homes destroyed". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 24, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. Nancy Bartley and Ken Armstrong, Site has long history of slide problems, The Seattle Times, March 23, 2014.
9. Zahid Arab. "What caused the landslide?". KING5 News online. King5.com. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
10. "8 confirmed dead in mudslide; 18 still missing". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
11. "Flash Flood Watch". National Weather Service. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
12. "SR 530 Mudslide". Washington Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
13. "Landslide kills three, injures others in Washington state". Reuters. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
14. 14 dead; 108 reports of missing people, Seattle Times, March 24, 2014. Accessed March 24, 2014; and A closer look at aerial image of Highway 530 mudslide - Interactive.

• Current events from March 2014
• 2014 disasters in the United States
• 2014 in Washington (state)
• Natural disasters in Washington (state)
• Landslides in the United States
• History of Snohomish County, Washington