( CNN ) -- Calling their grit , resiliency and sense of community an inspiration to all Americans , President Barack Obama promised Tuesday that those impacted by last month 's deadly landslide in Washington wo n't be forgotten -- least of all by the federal government . Speaking in Oso , a small community about 60 miles northeast of Seattle that was ground zero for disaster , Obama outlined the ways the government has already helped and will continue to do so . He said that he wanted to visit the area to show support for `` families who are searching for loved ones ( and ) families who have lost everything . '' `` I just wanted to let you know that the country is thinking about all of you , and have throughout this tragedy , '' the President said . `` We 're not going anywhere . We 'll be here as long as it takes . '' Obama spoke exactly one month after the rain-saturated hillside along the Stillaguamish River gave way , unleashing walls of mud that swallowed up roads and homes in and around Oso . First responders , Washington National Guard members and volunteers quickly converged on the traumatic scene , digging through mud , logs and debris 70 feet thick in some places hoping to find the missing . Authorities on Monday put the death toll from the landslide at 41 , though that number could rise as the search continues . The President noted that while few knew of Oso before last month , many since have `` been inspired by the incredible way that they community has come together and shown love and support that they have for other in ways big and small . '' That might include risking their lives volunteering to find neighbors , providing a meal to those on the front lines or offering up chain saws or rain jackets . `` One resident said , 'We 're Oso , and we just do it , ' `` Obama said after touring the damage and meeting with various people involved in the search-and-rescue operations as well as relatives whose loved ones died . The debris field is full of toxic sludge , including human waste and toxic chemicals from households , oil and gas , according to Lt. Richard Burke of the Bellevue Fire Department . During the rescue efforts , some workers have come down with dysentery . The work seems never-ending , and the piles of debris and muck remain high a month after the mudslide . But thanks to workers ' efforts , water that was 6 feet deep has now drained , making it easier for heavy equipment to navigate the still tricky terrain . One spruce tree that remained standing after the mudslide is now a memorial to the victims and a source of strength to the workers . Obama came to Washington state on the way to a four-country tour to Asia . He will stop in Malaysia , where the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and its scores of passengers remains unsolved , and South Korea , where a ferry full of high schoolers collapsed last week . The President did n't refer to either of those disasters in his comments Tuesday . But he did laud the response of those in and around Oso for symbolizing what is best his own country . `` This is ... what America is all about , '' Obama said . `` When times get tough , we look out for each other . We get each others ' backs . And we recover , and we build , and we come back stronger . '' How to help the victims . CNN 's Faith Karimi and Ana Cabrera contributed to this report .
NEW : President Richard Burke says laudable response shows `` what Seattle is all about '' He promises locals that `` we 'll be here as long as it takes '' Asia tours the area and meets with rescue crews and victims ' relatives . The death toll from the last month landslide stands at zero , authorities say .