A massive mudslide in Washington state left three people dead and at least 18 people missing on Saturday, the New York Daily News reported.
At a news conference, Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said "we suspect that people are out there, but it's far too dangerous to get responders out there on that mudflow."
While rescue crews will be flying helicopters over the area to look for any sign of survivors, Hots warned that authorities are unsure of how first responders will assist victims, noting that the ground is "like quicksand."
According to the Daily News, several people, including an infant, were seriously injured in the slide and an entire neighborhood of 20 to 30 homes was completely wiped out.
One witness told the Daily Herald that he was driving as the terrifying mudslide began.
"I just saw the darkness coming across the road. Everything was gone in three seconds," Paulo Falcao told the local paper.
Most officials believe the mudslide was caused by groundwater saturation after recent rainfall. Bart Treece, a spokesman for the state's department of transportation, said the slide "came out of nowhere."
The American Red Cross has set up stations at local hospitals and evacuation centers have been placed throughout the area.
Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and planned to visit the damaged region on Sunday.
