Bodies of Utah mudslide victims found

LOGAN, Utah, July 15 (UPI) -- The bodies of a woman and her two children have been recovered from their Utah home, crushed by a mudslide when an irrigation canal gave way, officials say.

Jacqueline Leavey, an immigrant from El Salvador, 43, and her children, Abbey Alanis, 12, and Victor Alanis, 13, were the only people killed in the disaster last Saturday. The bodies of Leavey and Abbey were found Tuesday afternoon and Victor a few hours later, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The mudslide struck Leavey's house near Utah State University in Logan with such force that it was knocked from its foundation and moved more than 20 feet.

At least six more houses were gutted by the slide.

The canal bank above the house remains unstable, officials say. During the search for the bodies, spotters kept a watch on the bank for signs of movement and searchers were told that an air horn sounding three times was a signal to get out of the way immediately, the Tribune said.

Rolando Murillo, a friend of the family, thanked the search crews at a news conference Tuesday before the bodies were found.

"We ask God's blessings on all the rescue workers," he said.