At least three people have been killed and several badly injured in a huge landslide in a rural area of the north-western American state of Washington, officials say.
The landslide destroyed six houses and covered a road near the town of Oso, about 90km (55 miles) north of Seattle. It was at least 41m (135ft) wide and 54m deep, local authorities said.
They say that two people were killed at the scene and one died in hospital. The injured included a six-month-old boy. An eyewitness told the Daily Herald that he was driving on the road and had to quickly brake to avoid the mudslide.
"I just saw the darkness coming across the road. Everything was gone in three seconds,'' Paulo Falcao told the newspaper. Search-and-rescue help came from across the state, including the Washington State Patrol and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The landslide cut off the city of Darrington and clogged the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River, local media reported. Authorities say the landslide was caused by recent heavy rain.
More rain is expected in parts of Washington on Sunday, and some people have been advised to move to higher ground.
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