Figure 12

Examples of challenges to rescue and recovery where thick liquefied mud and debris have flowed into a populated area—the Highway 530 (Oso, Washington) landslide disaster of 22 March 2014. Soft mud can preclude rescue of victims by responders on the ground, particularly in the first hours or days following a lahar. (a) Rescuer being lowered by helicopter to an area where ground is too soft to reach on foot (copyrighted AP photo by Dan Bates, used with permission). (b) Rescuer searching for victims using an inflatable boat, because flooding from backed-up river inundated part of the debris field (copyrighted AP photo by Elaine Thompson, used with permission).