Community Chat

[bathina]

On 3/25/2014 RainCityGirl said:

I finally heard from my friend today after trying unsuccessfully to get ahold of her for three days. I thought she was in Darrington, but it turns out she lives in Oso after all, 7 miles down river from the landslide. She was allowed to go back to her home today after being evacuated since Saturday. She said she was on the phone when the slide occurred, and it sounded like a huge explosion, like nothing she had ever heard before. She is in shock right now, having lost some friends confirmed and others who are MIA. She just kept saying, "The mountain just came down on top of them." I am just relieved that she is okay.

Oh . That's exactly what it looks like happened from the pictures I've seen . Awful.

[RainCityGirl]

There have been several landslides in that very area. The guy named Miller wrote a huge report on that area advising that homes should not even be built there, but apparently it was ignored. New information came to light that about three days before the massive landslide there was a small earthquake, which could have contributed to the already unstable highly saturated ground. The area is remote, but not as remote as one would think. The city of Arlington, just off I- 5 is a bustling business center with a fairly large population. Halfway between Arlington and Darrington is Oso. I would consider it part valley and foothills on the way to the higher Cascade elevations. There are houses sprinkled low and higher along Highway 530, and you have neighbors, but you can't see them from your house because there is acreage separating you, and loads of trees and hills. It is truly a gorgeous area of the state, and amazingly is only a short distance really from the very urban Everett and Seattle. Though the highway isn't extremely busy, people use it to get to other areas in the Cascades, plus many businesses in Arlington serve Oso and Darrington for home repair, plumbing, etc. One of the people missing didn't even live there. He was on a service appointment at one of the now missing houses.

[gazelle77]

For some reason, people even knowing about a possible danger will build and live in dangerous areas.... Many people in Western Washington build homes on areas where mudslides happen- even in the metro area. People also build in areas where ancient Mud flows have happened centuries ago, and could happen again at any time, say if Mt. Rainier came roaring back to life as a Volcano.( it is known as a sleeping giant for a reason....) People also for some reason build on river areas prone to and actively known for flooding.... just because it is BEAUTIFUL. Our rivers flood all the time here in Western Washington... yet people want to live next to the rivers, get wiped out and rebuild again and again....

I guess our human nature just wants to believe that it will never happen to them. If these people had not built their community at the base of this mudslide area, I am sure they could have found property near by with less chance of danger. So, in a way it is no ones fault but those who CHOSE to live in dangerous areas. Still very sad, but it is the chance you take.

[RainCityGirl]

Regardless of why people choose ill advised areas to build, they STILL have to get a building permit. WHO is responsible for issuing those and how are those regulated? If you don't have a permit, you can't build.

[Preds]

RCC ... I'm so glad you heard from your friend and I'm so sorry for all the sadness and heartache that is happening there now. Horrible tragedy for so many.

[gazelle77]

On 3/26/2014 RainCityGirl said:

Regardless of why people choose ill advised areas to build, they STILL have to get a building permit. WHO is responsible for issuing those and how are those regulated? If you don't have a permit, you can't build.

Yes.... laws should be implemented to protect the public from building where there is chance of a natural disaster.

[SeaGal]

It sure has been a heartbreaking week and a half up here in our state. I am reminded that the 2 man helicopter crew we lost a week ago Monday would surely be reporting on this devastation, instead they buried Bill Strothman last weekend and Gary Pftizner's funeral will be held this weekend.

Appearantly the area had a 1.1 earthquake hit up there 3 months ago and at that time there were reports that stuff was coming down off the mountain then, seems it was giving off a warning. It is a beautiful area with the North Cascade Mountain Loop Highway that starts at Darrington. An awesome day trip hubs and I have taken many times.

RCG, hoping your friend stays safe and the rains hold off for awhile...

[esmeraldagooch]

[Lucky Charm]

I don't know how current the 'before' picture above is, but it looks like there's already some 'give' on the mountainside already. Expanse with no trees or vegetation. That seems to be a precursor to disaster to my untrained eye.

If homeowners want to build there, fine. As long as they don't have children. Setting them up for catastrophe, if you ask me. Unfair to children, irresponsible of the adults.

[SeaGal]

I was thinking the same thing in the before picture LC, looks like there had been some previous slidding in the area even to the untrained eye.