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I normally refrain from posting online about topics of this ilk, but felt compelled to comment.
The slide is only a few air miles northwest of my current temporary location. Been a week now with the TFR up. I will say Mother Nature can be awesome in her power. Tragedy barely covers the situation.
I spent two days working on-site this week. A colleague and I placed a considerable number of geo-motion sensors along the top and middle tier of the slide and set up a monitoring and alarm system, for what it would be worth (limited) to responders if another catastrophic event happened during recovery efforts.
For those of a religious bent, prayer is in order. I doubt all victims will be recovered. Sadly enough, and as an unfortunate reflection on the mindset of many in this region, lawyers have already begun their hover in anticipation of legal action. Apparently anyone involved in dropping a tree within ten miles over the last fifty years (not much of an exaggeration) is climbing to the top of the hit list. Have also heard the usual "global warming" comments more than once...it made me a bit ill.
The area has had an even greater than normal level of precipitation over the last couple of months...in fact it has been raining consistently since the slide making the recovery zone a slurry. Major landform changes like this have been the historic and prehistoric norm for the Pacific Northwest. Simply put, much of the strata is essentially glacial til deposited during the last ice age. Get enough rain and it "liquifies..." Add slope and it moves given enough additional factors.
I was kinda busy for pictures, and didn't feel it appropriate to be honest, so I can't offer any images to folks.
Please keep the affected families and responders in your thoughts and prayers as you see fit.
Thanks and blue skies
The slide is only a few air miles northwest of my current temporary location. Been a week now with the TFR up. I will say Mother Nature can be awesome in her power. Tragedy barely covers the situation.
I spent two days working on-site this week. A colleague and I placed a considerable number of geo-motion sensors along the top and middle tier of the slide and set up a monitoring and alarm system, for what it would be worth (limited) to responders if another catastrophic event happened during recovery efforts.
For those of a religious bent, prayer is in order. I doubt all victims will be recovered. Sadly enough, and as an unfortunate reflection on the mindset of many in this region, lawyers have already begun their hover in anticipation of legal action. Apparently anyone involved in dropping a tree within ten miles over the last fifty years (not much of an exaggeration) is climbing to the top of the hit list. Have also heard the usual "global warming" comments more than once...it made me a bit ill.
The area has had an even greater than normal level of precipitation over the last couple of months...in fact it has been raining consistently since the slide making the recovery zone a slurry. Major landform changes like this have been the historic and prehistoric norm for the Pacific Northwest. Simply put, much of the strata is essentially glacial til deposited during the last ice age. Get enough rain and it "liquifies..." Add slope and it moves given enough additional factors.
I was kinda busy for pictures, and didn't feel it appropriate to be honest, so I can't offer any images to folks.
Please keep the affected families and responders in your thoughts and prayers as you see fit.
Thanks and blue skies
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