phantomrebel
Serial Tapist
Mud/debris slides are the worst. Things we think of as solid can actually become quite fluid.I remember hearing of the Oso slide in Washington state a few years back and thinking, what a terrible way to go. There was a history of more minor slides there as well and over 40 died. These pale in comparison to Armero Columbia in 1985 where 20,000 died (volcanic-triggered flow) and similar number of deaths in the 1999 Vargas, Venezuela flood/debris flow. Nobody talks about these events (imagine if all 9K in Montecito perished!)
In Colorado, we have similar events in avalanches. On local news over the years, I've seen bodies pulled out after small events (usually backcountry skiers), and always think of what a terrible way this also is to go. We still build destination ski resorts and hotels at the base of mountains, but an unusual weather pattern combined with a historical snow dump can put it all at risk. Hard to think about when you are cutting up fresh powder as the odds of it happening are slim.
In Colorado, we have similar events in avalanches. On local news over the years, I've seen bodies pulled out after small events (usually backcountry skiers), and always think of what a terrible way this also is to go. We still build destination ski resorts and hotels at the base of mountains, but an unusual weather pattern combined with a historical snow dump can put it all at risk. Hard to think about when you are cutting up fresh powder as the odds of it happening are slim.
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