The mudslide that consumed part of Oso, Washington may be one of the deadliest natural disasters in Washington State History. After the slide, I was led into the debris field by a local property owner. There I walked among shredded forest, houses and lives. The scene was like a nightmare and it seemed to stretch as far as I could see. On March 22, 2014, at 10:37 a.m., what was a serene mountain valley filled with homes, people, forest and a rural highway, was tuned into a nightmarish graveyard.
For more context, read this post about how vast and awful the destruction is and some of what I saw there. You can also listen to this radio interview where I discuss the importance of documenting the scene with sensitivity and compassion. A similar interview is here where I talk about the challenge of showing the public scenes from the disaster with respect.
Theses photos were shot for seattlepi.com and Hearst Newspapers. They were published in countless U.S. newspapers including the New York Times, USA Today, international newspapers such as the U.K. Guardian and Times of India, TIME magazine, and featured on CBS News, NBC News, CNN and on The Weather Channel. The scene was one of the worst things I have ever seen —and I have seen many shocking things in my 15 year career as a photojournalist. The people that suffered through this disaster and those that lost their lives will forever be in my heart.
A body is carried from the massive, square mile debris field by a solemn rescue crew. They all had their heads bowed as they stepped over shattered lives.
Personal items were scattered throughout the debris field as dozens of homes were decimated by the churning mass of mud, rocks and trees.
A rescuer walks amid the debris.
A mirror in the debris shows the origin of the disaster.
Iraq War veteran and local youth sports coach Matt Pater searches through floating debris for survivors or casualties of the disaster. You can read more about his efforts in this story here.
Pater hiked through the woods to access the scene and to help search the pile. He said that his unique skill set from time working infantry in Iraq made him an ideal person to search the debris, and the trauma that likely would bring.
The rear tires of a truck and power lines are tangled amid the mess of debris. Click here to see a pair of interactive panoramas of the devastating scene.
A rescue dog searches for victims.
A rescue worker slogs through thick mud searching a tangle of trees where a dog said a victim was located.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter surveys the scene.
What are these photos about?
What are these photos about?
Rescuers search the vast debris field of shredded cars, homes and forest. Most cars were reduced to parts scattered across the valley.
What are these photos about?
A helicopter lands to recover a victim. The flag was erected by survivors after it was discovered in the debris field.