President Obama to visit Oso as death toll rises in Washington mudslide

SEATTLE, April 8 (UPI) -- President Barrack Obama announced plans Tuesday to visit Washington state in late April to assess the damage caused by the March 22 mudslide that swallowed the small town of Oso in Snohomish county, wiping away homes, claiming over 30 lives, and leaving over a dozen people still missing.

The president will visit on April 22, the one-month anniversary of the disaster, to survey the damage and devastation caused by the mudslide and pay his respects to residents and survivors. He will meet with families, first responders, and recovery workers, according to a White House spokesperson.

According to the Seattle Times, the president made the promise to visit in calls to Gov. Jay Inslee and Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Medina), “whose 1st District includes the hard-hit communities of Oso and Darrington.”

In the immediate aftermath of the landslide, Obama’s administration was quick to respond to Gov. Jay Inslee’s request for emergency aid. The president quickly declared Oso a major disaster, and expedited financial assistance to help victims and support first responders through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“In addition, the Internal Revenue Service has extended tax-filing deadlines for victims to Oct. 15, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has pledged help with new mortgages, including zero-percent down borrowing for new homes,” the Seattle Times reported.

[Seattle Times]