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Cent. WA mudslides strand 30 people

The Columbian
Published: June 9, 2011, 5:00pm

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — Mudslides flowing across a road to popular northcentral Washington campsites have stranded about 30 people but authorities say no one is hurt.

The Chelan County sheriff’s office was notified Friday of mudslides on upper Icicle Road about 10 miles west of Leavenworth. Forest Service spokeswoman Susan Peterson says the gooey mud in some areas is about 8 feet deep and at least 40 feet across.

Sheriff Brian Burnett says a medivac helicopter is on alert in case of medical emergency.

Peterson says those caught beyond the slides include campers and a private landowner with guests. Officials have been in two-way radio contact with the campground hosts.

Sheriff’s Lt. Maria Agnew says sheriff’s officers will try to help hikers walk out this weekend if the area is sufficiently stable.

Peterson says she has no idea when work might start to remove the mud, a task she describes as “kind of like removing soup.”

She says heavy rain on Thursday night slid right across remaining snow and onto already saturated soil.

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