The confirmed death toll from a mudslide in the US state of Washington stood at 17 but was expected to rise as stormy weather hampered search efforts, officials said Friday, according to dpa. Ninety people were listed as missing since the March 22 disaster. "This afternoon they did locate one more victim in the debris field though we are not including that in our total until they reach the medical examiner's office," Snohomish County executive director Gary Haakenson said. "The identification process has been very, very challenging." Wet and windy weather was making it difficult for search helicopters and rescue crews on the ground. The potential for flash flooding in Snohomish County was also extended until Monday evening, officials said. The logging town of Oso was buried under a thick layer of mud, trees and rocks when a 1.5-kilometre-long ridge gave way.
