The death toll continues to be revised in the landslide north of Seattle. Snohomish County emergency officials now say 21 people are confirmed dead; the number believed missing decreased significantly. Because multiple family members reported the same missing person, early estimates were over 150 at one point. Authorities now say 30 people are unaccounted for.

Teams are using search dogs, sonar, hovercraft and air support, as the magnitude of Saturday’s disaster comes into focus. “The situation is very grim,” Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said, but he added that authorities are still in rescue mode and are holding out hope others may be found alive.

AP and Seattle TV reports say the swath of earth that slid downhill Saturday, 55 miles north of Seattle, was a mile wide. And the ground is still shifting. A state geologist told OPB that it’s not unusual for the earth to continue moving after such a landslide. Unsteady conditions resulted in search crews being pulled back from the site Monday.

Rebecca Webb
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