As Hopes Dim, Washington Mudslide Rescue Effort Carries On

When Snohomish County, Wash., officials began talking to media about mudslide rescue efforts on Monday, their mood was determined but somber. Rescue teams had not uncovered more bodies in addition to the eight found dead after Saturday's mudslide swallowed dozens of homes there, but the number reported missing or unaccounted for had shot up to 108. People held out hope that search teams might find survivors, but after another night combing through debris turned up nothing, that hope was starting to fade.

"The situation is very grim," Travis Hots, Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief, told reporters. “We’re still holding out hope that we may still find people who are alive, but keep in mind that we haven’t found anyone alive since Saturday.” Read more...