Dozens of residents of a hillside overlooking scenic Puget Sound have evacuated their homes after a landslide occurred early Wednesday on Whidbey Island, about 50 miles north of Seattle.
About 400-500 yards of earth of Whidbey Island slid off the coast of Washington about 600-700 yards into the water early this morning, forcing the evacuation of 34 homes.
A steady stream of soil can be seen leaking out from beneath one of the homes, which is now at the edge of the new cliff created by the landslide. Authorities are continuing to monitor a damaged house where there’s still slide activity. Dirt continues to pour off the cliff.
Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue responded about 4 a.m. to a home in Coupeville on Whidbey Island, Washington. Firefighters discovered the home had been pushed off its foundation. When firefighters arrived the home had already moved a considerable distance.
Neighbors hear the sound similar to a sonic boom and loud thunder about 4:15 a.m. Large trees along a bluff have been swallowed by falling earth. The homes are affected on Drifwood Way and on Fircrest Avenue, which extends down south of Driftwood Way.
Eric Brooks, Island County Department of Emergency Management, reports that the earth will continue to slide until it stabilizes. The type of soil is conducive to landslides.
Raw video of coastline and landslide.
See also …
Facebook.com Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue
Whidbey News-Times Ledgewood Devastate by Landslide
