PNW Mudslide near Mt Ranier is a known regional threat.
On March 1, 2012 a mudslide in Everett Washington caused the Sound Transit and Amtrak passenger trains to suspend services and start using a bus.
http://tdn.com/news/state-and-regional/washington/everett-mudslide-hits-railroad-tracks/article_5ac63267-1556-5e6c-ab0b-e3f90dc7dd7d.html
And, in Late Feb 2012, there's this:
STANWOOD, Wash. – A mudslide destroyed a home in Stanwood and damaged another one on Wednesday. No one was hurt.
Firefighters had their fingers crossed as they searched the wreckage of two homes at the base of the hillside that was still threatening to come down. A hundred feet of it already had, taking out one home, which was vacant at the time, and severely damaging another.
http://www.king5.com/news/Search-and-rescue-called-in-after-mudslide-destroys-Stanwood-home-140051243.html
Mudslides and sinkholes are happening more often. Where does the land in your neighborhood look ready to settle? I'm on a riverbank but I notice that it's on a downslope and I just have a few trees. Those homes being damaged are in areas where the trees are being pushed over by the mud as if they were weightless ! Stay Safe !