Washington state mudslide death count expected to jump above 25

ARLINGTON, Washington (Reuters) - Washington state officials said the confirmed death toll from a huge mudslide in the U.S. Pacific Northwest was likely to rise sharply from 25 on Friday as residents accused local authorities of a slow early response to the disaster that had cost lives.

A rain-soaked hillside collapsed without warning on Saturday, unleashing a deluge of mud on dozens of homes in a river valley near the rural town of Oso, in Snohomish County, some 55 miles (89 km) northeast of Seattle.