Death Toll Rises to Six in Mudslide

[NVMojo]

And Vegas is flooded and St. George, Utah is flooded and we are buried under a load of snow in northern Nevada. .. .

LA CONCHITA, Calif. - Rescuers with listening devices sensitive enough to pick up a whimper or faint tapping searched Tuesday for victims feared buried in a mudslide that sent trees and dirt thundering onto this seaside hamlet, killing at least six people.

There was hope of finding survivors because searchers were discovering spaces under the debris large enough to hold people, Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper said as darkness fell on the rescue effort for a second night. Authorities said around a dozen people were missing, and 10 had been injured.

Neighbors and relatives of the missing watched in agony as rescuers hauled away dirt bucket by bucket and looked for signs of life. Commands for quiet would bring activity to a halt as rescuers lowered microphones into the debris to listen for survivors.

more...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&u=/ap/20050112/ap_on_re_us/western_storm_14

[fleabert]

1. this is just awful.

people just sitting at home or out in the yard and this happens. The video footage of the husband who ran to the store for ice cream and now his wife and kid(s?) are missing is just so heartbreaking. His pain is so clear on his face.

Really brings home the losses from the tsunami, loss of life is loss of life, always painful. The scope may change, but the pain is the same for the individuals.

[cedahlia]

2. That poor man

My heart just aches for him. It has now been confirmed that his wife and three daughters are all dead.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/12/mudslide.family.killed.ap/index.html

I read in another story that this man (his name is Jimmie Watson) wanted to keep helping with the search for others even after he knew his wife and girls had perished, and a police officer didn't want to let him, saying it was too dangerous and that he should rest.

His reply: "I don't care if I die."

Utterly heartbreaking.

[fleabert]

3. I'd feel the same way, I think. nt