Landslide Kills Three and Injures Others in Washington State

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(Reuters) - Three people died and at least eight others were injured on Saturday in a landslide that destroyed six or more homes along a state highway in northwest Washington state, officials said.

Mud, possibly produced by recent heavy rain, slid across part of State Route 530 near Oso, Washington, north of Seattle, Washington state trooper Mark Francis said.

The three deaths were confirmed by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. Eight people were rescued and were being treated at area hospitals and at least six houses were destroyed, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

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Francis said the slide was in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains where rains have been heavy lately.

The mudslide caused blockage of the Stillaguamish River, adding flooding to the mud problem, Francis said. The highway was closed in both directions.

(Reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Missouri; Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Lisa Shumaker)

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