Saturday, March 29, 2014

Oso mudslide disaster the worst mudslide in Washington State history in 100 years

A week ago on March 20, 2014 the landslide happened at the unincorporated community of Oso.  This is the worst mudslide in modern Washington State history.  The last landslide that was tragic destroyed a small town of Wellington in King County in 1910.  This town was no longer exists and declared vacant in 1929 when the Cascade Tunnel was built on US Highway 2 as a scenic way to get from Everett to Wenatchee.  Please continue to pray for the victims of this tragedy because this could happen to any Washington community.  Most of Washington State is built on hills that includes Washington State's largest city Seattle.  Many Puget Sound communities were built on the San Francisco model of straight up straight down concept that defines Olympia, Tacoma, Bremerton, Port Orchard, Whidbey Island, Everett and Seattle.  Even Spokane was built on hills.  The most famous there is a slope separating South Spokane from the remaining parts of the city.  I used to live close to Freya Hill which is a great hill for exercising.  Portland area is close to hills.  Many Central Washington communities especially towns in Chelan County are built near hills on US Highway 2 and 97 between Wenatchee and Chelan.  Not only in Washington State you have to worry about earthquakes but landslides.  Watch out the Washington State legislature may pass legislation regulating development on rural hillsides due to this.  I would only support this if they include urban hillsides too. 

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