Community comes together after Oso mudslide

The Oso mudslide stunned much of the Pacific Northwest. Part of the tiny town of Oso, Washington was decimated by the mountain that fell upon the community. After the disaster, the region came together in moments of contemplative silence, to pray, and to support one another. These photos attempt to document that. See my previous post to see the devastation the mudslide brought to the small community.

Rescue workers observe a moment of silence in front of the Darrington Fire Department exactly one week after the disaster, at 10:37 a.m.

People gather for a moment of silence one week after the disaster.

Local high school students stepped up for their community, searching the debris immediately after the disaster, making signs, lifting spirits and organizing the massive amounts of donations that poured into the community.

Darrington High School students hang signs as they try to lift the spirits of their community.

What are these photos about?

Anya Lin, 6, and her brother Talon, Lin, 7, present their piggy banks to firefighters at the Darrington Fire Station. They wanted to give their “college savings” to rescuers working in the debris field.

Anya and Talon present their donation.

People gather for a vigil in Arlington on the west side of the slide.

Immediately after the disaster people turned to faith. The churches of the Stillaguamish valley offered support and Catholic organizations offered to pay for all funeral expenses for victims, regardless of religion or denomination.

What are these photos about?

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters landed in downtown Darrington during the disaster. FEMA and the National Guard became part of the rescue and recovery operation.

Message boards were erected at the local grocery store.

And in a effort to lift the spirits of the town of Darrington, members of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders visited with locals during a community event.

What are these photos about?

Local loggers volunteered their skills and saws as the search of the debris field continued.

And of course, bake sales tried to raise money for victims.

What are these photos about?