Il presidente statunitense Barack Obama ha dichiarato lo stato di emergenza nella contea di Snohomish, nello Stato di Washington, dove è salito a 14 morti e 176 dispersi il bilancio della gigantesca frana che sabato ha spazzato via il villaggio rurale di Oso.
Le oltre 30 case distrutte dalla colata di fango erano occupate anche da molte persone giunte nella zona per il week-end. La situazione meteorologica era infatti mutata al bello dopo settimane di forti piogge, che hanno saturato il terreno.
Soccorsi rallentati
La massa di detriti e terra nella zona (situata a 90 km a nord-est di Seattle) è alta circa cinque metri e le operazioni di soccorso, spesso sospese, sono rese difficoltose dall’instabilità del suolo. La superficie interessata dalle ricerche si estende per circa 260 ettari.
Le speranze di trovare delle persone ancora in vita sono basse. Il numero dei dispersi potrebbe però essere stato sovrastimato a seguito di segnalazioni multiple, ha spiegato il responsabile dei soccorsi della contea John Pennington.
AFP-AP-Ansa/cos
Gallery image - Frana negli USA, i morti sono 14
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