Update: Up to 108 missing after US mudslide

A large rescue operation began soon after the landslide struck on Saturday

Authorities say they have 108 reports of people missing or unaccounted for after Saturday's huge landslide in the north-western US state of Washington.

Eight bodies have been recovered so far after the 54m (177ft) deep wall of mud swept near the town of Oso, about 90km (55 miles) north of Seattle.

Search crews have worked day and night, using helicopters in the dangerous conditions that destroyed 30 homes.

Several people, including an infant, were critically injured.

'Situation very grim'

Snohomish County emergency management director John Pennington said the figure did not necessarily represent the total number of injuries or fatalities.

He said the list had been consolidated from a number of sources.

"It's a soft 108," Mr Pennington told a news conference, reports the Associated Press news agency.

"We have not found anyone alive on this pile since Saturday," he added.

Snohomish County fire chief Travis Hots told reporters: "The situation is very grim."



'Gone in three seconds'

Authorities have continued their search-and-rescue operations amid a tangled debris field that Washington Governor Jay Inslee labelled "a square mile of total devastation"

An 81-year-old man and a six-month-old boy were said to be in critical condition at a Seattle hospital on Sunday.

An eyewitness told the Daily Herald that he was driving on the road near Oso 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 there 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."

The landslide cut off the city of Darrington and clogged the north fork of the Stillaguamish River.

This prompted 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.

The area has had problems in the past with unstable land.

Monday 24 March 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26723240

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World Trade Center museum to receive 9/11 victims’ remains

New York City plans to move the remains of unidentified victims in the 2001 terror attack to a new resting place within the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

The roughly 8,000 unidentified remains, which are in the custody of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, will be moved to the museum this year, spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.

“We’re getting ready,” said city Medical Examiner’s Office spokeswoman Julie Bolcer. “We’re planning the move.”

Lee Ielpi, whose firefighter son, Jonathan, died on 9/11, said the remains should be moved in a solemn motorcade “with clergy of all religions to show the world how we treat our dead, murdered on 9/11, with respect and dignity.”

The “remains repository” will be hidden from view behind a wall engraved with a quote by Virgil: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.” The space will include an ME’s office, to continue DNA-ID efforts, and a family visiting room.

Only medical examiners and families of victims will be given access to the repository, according to the spokesperson for both the museum and the medical examiner's office.

Some 9/11 relatives strongly oppose putting the remains in the museum — which will charge $24 for admission — saying visitors should not have to fork over cash to pay their respects.

The decision to house remains in the museum repository has been controversial.

In 2011, 17 families of 9/11 victims filed a petition in court to force the museum to consult with the victims' families before deciding what to do with the remains. They eventually asked for a congressional hearing. Both efforts were unsuccessful.

On its website, the museum said the decision to move the remains to the repository at the museum was because of overwhelming feedback received from families after the attacks.

The 9/11 Memorial Museum is scheduled to open this spring as part of the part of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center site.

DNA identifications of the unidentified remains will continue in the new repository, according to the museum.

In New York, 2,753 people were killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were intentionally crashed into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center. A total of 2,977 people were killed in New York, Washington and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Monday 24 March 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/03/23/world-trade-center-museum-to-receive-911-victims-remains/

http://www.abc15.com/news/national/911-remains-to-be-moved-to-spot-within-museum

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Uganda: Search continues for Lake Albert boat victims

The coxswain (pilot) of the boat that capsized on Lake Albert killing an unspecified number of Congolese refugees has been arrested by police in Kibaale as the search for more bodies continues.

As many as 60 people are feared dead -- with 22 bodies found so far -- in another of the worst boat disasters in Uganda’s recorded history that occurred early Saturday.

Four years ago, some 70 people were involved in a boat fatality when their boat capsized on the same lake - also on a Saturday.

The coxswain of the latest incident, only identified as Ocelle, is currently under police custody at Kitebere landing site.

Kibaale district police commander John Ojokuna Elatu, who identified the coxswain, said he will be transferred to the district police headquarters.

Ojokuna said the coxswain of the ill-fated boat will be charged with traffic offences of overloading, operating a boat under the influence of alcohol and recklessness “as soon as possible”.

‘Hopes fading’

Meanwhile the search and rescue operation for both survivors and bodies is going on, with the police and local fishermen teaming up in the efforts.

By Sunday morning the number of people rescued had reached 42 with at least 22 bodies already recovered.

It is believed that over 40 bodies are still in the waters.

Charles Kisembo, the fisheries officer in charge of Ndaiga sub-county declared that finding more people alive is unlikely, and that hope for any survivors is fading.

“We do not expect to get survivors, but the search continues,” he said.

The boat capsized near Kitebere landing site in Kibaale district en route to Ntoroko landing site where it was taking some 100 Congolese refugees who were reportedly fleeing from Kyangwali refugee settlement camp in Kyangwali sub-county Hoima district.

The refugees boarded at Senjojo landing site on Saturday morning but later encountered mechanical problems a few hours later at around 10am local time, leading to their boat tipping over.

The bodies of those who died were taken to Ntoroko health center mortuary aboard a Kibaale district speed boat.

Among the deceased are 14 children.

What survivors say

Alice Nanzeri, who survived with her children, said the boat was overloaded with people and luggage which could have caused the accident.

“We had mattresses and all our household items and the boat was very full,” she said Nanzeri.

Her theory was that the mattresses could have absorbed water along the way, which made the boat heavier and hence leading to the deadly mishap.

Nanzeri said that they clang onto the capsized vessel, and were lucky to be found by an advancing rescue boat.

Another survivor, Pastor Modest Kasongo, blamed the accident on the coxswain, whom he said was sipping on a sachet of alcohol the whole way until the accident occurred.

“The pilot must have been drunk and lost control because he was taking alcohol,” he said.

The refugees said that they were escaping from the settlement camp due to the unfavorable conditions there, especially inadequate food supplies.

“We have been having a single meal daily and we could not manage such an environment,” said one of them.

Costa Toyokana, 12, who lost all his relatives in the accident, told New Vision he does not know what to do next.

“All my parents and others have perished so am helpless now,” he moaned.

The survivors said they have not been getting food supplies from the leaders of the camp, which prompted them to return home where they say they believe is now secure and that they can practice agriculture to fend for their families.

One refugee said that they only received 10kgs of maize and beans and they do not know what next.

They said they are now planning to go to Ntoroko and then board commuter taxis to Bundibugyo and then proceed to their villages which are bordering Uganda.

The relocation of the Congolese refuges started in August this year when they fled their home area in Kamango in Western DR Congo after Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked them and they fled to Uganda.

Over 20,000 refugees have been settled in Kyangwali refugee settlement land by the United Nations High Commission for Refuges (UNHCR).

Monday 24 March 2014

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/653824-boat-disaster-pilot-arrested-as-search-continues.html

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11 killed, eight injured in road accident near Murree

Eleven passengers were killed while a dozen got multiple injuries when a Rawalpindi-bound passenger van plunged into a ravine at a Salgran, a picnic spot in Murree, on Sunday.

The bus, which was carrying 20 passengers from the hill town of Murree to Rawalpindi, lost traction on a slippery road amid rainfall, rolling on its side as it fell down a slope.

According to officials of Rescue 1122, a passenger van (LES 1923) coming from Rawalpindi with 25 people on board met an accident at Salgran, a famous tourist spot near Rawalpindi, and plunged into 150-meter deep ravine. As a result, as many as 11 passengers died at the spot while a dozen got multiple injuries, who were later shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad.

"Eleven passengers have been killed while a dozen got multiple injuries in the accident. The injured and dead bodies have been shifted to PIMS," In charge Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi told The Nation.

A spokesperson of PIMS also confirmed that 11 dead bodies were shifted to PIMS while 12 injured were admitted to the emergency ward.

Officials of Murree Police Station said rescue operation was over and initial investigations were on. The rescuers said the victims trapped in the wreckage of the wagon were pulled out after cutting the body of the vehicle.

"We will investigate thoroughly to sort out what had made the ill-fated van plunge into ravine," Muhammad Sohail, officer on duty at Murree Police Station, said when contacted. He did not rule out the possibility of bad weather causing the accident.

It is worthy of mentioning here that it was the second accident in the current year as on January 8, 2014, a dozen of passengers were killed when two passenger busses had collided with each other and plunged into ravine at the same spot of Salgran.

Since January 2013, more than 130 people have been killed or injured in 11 traffic accidents on the same spot at Salgran.

The popular hill resort Murree is situated around 50 kilometres northeast of Islamabad and attracts tourists from across the country.

Bus accidents are common on the mountainous track to the hill town because of careless driving and speeding.

However, after the latest accident, the residents of the area have criticised the local administration and the traffic police for their failure to check speeding and overloading by the public transporters which they said was the major cause of the increasing fatal accidents in the mountainous area.

Pakistan has one of the world's worst records for fatal traffic accidents, blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

Monday 24 March 2014

http://www.nation.com.pk/national/24-Mar-2014/11-die-in-murree-van-plunge

http://www.dawn.com/news/1095190/10-killed-eight-injured-in-road-accident-near-murree

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DNA samples taken: 35 bodies of Hub tragedy yet to be identified

Families of almost all victim of the Saturday tragic accident on the RCD Highway near Hub are anxiously waiting for the identification of the bodies of their loved ones so that they could take the coffins home for burial. But, it appears that their wait is not going to be over anytime soon.

At least 36 people were killed when two passenger coaches and a pickup rammed into an overturned truck on the RCD Highway near Hub. All the vehicles caught fire after the collision since at least one coach and the truck were allegedly carrying oil smuggled from Iran. The bodies of all the victims, some of them said to be employees of Pakistan Navy, were charred beyond recognition.

Family members of the accident victims continued to camp outside the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth, where the bodies were taken from the site of the accident, for a second consecutive day on Sunday. The mourners were just waiting for authorities’ nod to take the bodies of their loved ones for burial.

However, the body of one of the 36 victims was identified and handed over to his family on Sunday, while samples had been taken from the remaining 35 bodies for carrying out DNA tests for identification.

“Only one body was handed over to a victim family,” said Anwar Kazmi of the Edhi Foundation. “That particular body was recognisable to some extent. Health officials are taking DNA samples to identify remaining 35 victims. They have sent samples to a forensic laboratory in Islamabad and the process may take 10 to 15 days to complete.”

Meanwhile, there was no word from any official over the core issue of oil smuggling or to trace key players behind the illegal transportation of the smuggled Iranian oil, which has become a regular feature of Karachi-Balochistan buss.

“We have enhanced patrolling in areas under our jurisdiction and we are not allowing a single vehicle carrying (smuggled) oil,” said DPO Cheema. “We are also coordinating with all agencies concerned which include anti-smuggling bodies so that no such incident recurs due to any negligence.”

Monday 24 March 2014

http://www.dawn.com/news/1095122/dna-samples-taken-35-bodies-of-hub-tragedy-yet-to-be-identified

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8 dead after massive Washington mudslide, at least a dozen missing

Searchers have found five more bodies in the sludge of a massive landslide in the northwestern state of Washington, bringing the death toll to at least eight from the wall of debris that swept through a small riverside neighbourhood.

Four more bodies were discovered late on Sunday, said Snohomish County sheriff’s Lt Rob Palmer said. Earlier in the day, authorities said one body had been found on the debris field. Three people were already confirmed dead on Saturday.

More people remained missing, and authorities said the number was “fluid.” Earlier yesterday, they said it was at least 18, but that count came before additional bodies were discovered.

The mudslide that struck Saturday morning also critically injured several people and destroyed about 30 homes.

Crews were able to get out to the muddy, tree-strewn area after geologists few over in a helicopter and determined it was safe enough for emergency responders and technical rescue personnel to search for possible survivors, Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said last evening.

“We didn’t see or hear any signs of life out there today,” he said, adding that they did not search the entire debris field, only drier areas safe to traverse.

Despite that, Hots said crews were still in a “search and rescue mode. It has not gone to a recovery mode at this time.” Searchers continued looking into the night on Sunday. Several people, including an infant, were critically injured in the mudslide that hit Saturday morning about 88 kilometres north of Seattle. About 30 homes were destroyed.

Rescuers’ hope of finding more survivors that had been buoyed late Saturday when they heard people yelling for help from within the debris field, but they were unable to reach anyone.

The mud was so thick and deep that searchers had to turn back. The slide wiped through what neighbors described as a former fishing village of small homes, some nearly 100 years old.

Some of the missing may have been able to get out on their own, authorities said. The number unaccounted for could change because some people may have been in cars and on roads when the slide hit, Hots said.

Authorities believe the slide was caused by ground made unstable by recent heavy rainfall.

Monday 24 March 2014

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/americas/eight-dead-in-washington-state-landslide-18-missing/

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