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At least three people have been killed and 18 are missing in a huge landslide in the
north-western US state of Washington, officials say.
The landslide injured seven people, destroyed 30 houses and covered a road near the town
of Oso, about 90km (55 miles) north of Seattle. It was at least 41m (135ft) wide and 54m deep,
local authorities said. They say that two people were killed at the
scene and one died in hospital. The injured included a six-month-old boy.
'Wall of mud' An eyewitness told the Daily Herald that he
was driving on the road and had to quickly brake to avoid the mudslide.
"I just saw the darkness coming across the road. Everything was gone in three seconds,''
Paulo Falcao told the newspaper. Robin Youngblood, another witness, told the
Seattle Times: "All of a sudden thee was a wall of mud. Then it hit and we were rolling.
The house was in sticks. We were buried under things, and we dug ourselves out."
Residents reported hearing cries from those trapped, but local fire chief Travis Hots
said the dangerous conditions were hampering the rescue effort.
Search-and-rescue help came from across the state, including the Washington State Patrol
and the Army Corps of Engineers. The landslide cut off the city of Darrington
and clogged the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, prompting fears of severe flooding
downstream if the build-up of water behind the debris breaks through suddenly.
The authorities say the landslide was caused by recent heavy rain.
More rain is expected in parts of Washington on Sunday, and some people have been advised
to move to higher ground. The area has had problems in the past with
unstable land.