A glance at how Washington officials are counting mudslide victims

FEMA wooers head out of the site of a deadly mudslide, Friday, March 28, 2014, in Oso, Wash. Besides the 26 bodies already found, dozens more people could be buried in the debris pile left from the mudslide nearly one week ago. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, Pool) (The Associated Press)

Snohomish County District 21 Fire Chief Travis Hots, left, looks on as Everett police Lt. Robert Goetz speaks to wrap-up a news conference about a deadly mudslide Friday, March 28, 2014, in Arlington, Wash. The death toll from the mudslide in nearby Oso, Wash., is expected to rise considerably within days as the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office catches up with the recovery effort, officials said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) (The Associated Press)

Searchers wait to enter the site of a deadly mudslide, Friday, March 28, 2014, in Oso, Wash. Besides the 26 bodies already found, dozens more people could be buried in the debris pile left from the mudslide nearly one week ago. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, Pool) (The Associated Press)

Authorities on Friday kept the official death toll from the Washington mudslide at 17, even though they have acknowledged a total of at least 25 bodies have been located. Here is a breakdown on how they are counting the victims:

— The death toll of 17 comprises the remains that have been recovered at the scene and turned over to the Snohomish County medical examiner.

— The medical examiner's office had publicly identified five of those fatalities as of Friday.

— Snohomish County District 21 Fire Chief Travis Hots previously said searchers located the remains of at least eight other people, but they had not been recovered from the debris.

— Reports of additional remains found have trickled in from families and searchers, but authorities are counting in the death toll only those that come from the medical examiner's office.

— The medical examiner's office was expected to update the toll by Friday evening.