Part of cliff falls away in Des Moines, forcing evacuation of 3 homes near edge



DES MOINES, Wash. -- Three homes on top of a bluff in Des Moines were evacuated Friday when a landslide threatened the stability of the structures, authorities said. No one was injured.

South King Fire Deputy Chief Vic Pennington said they were called out to the 25000 block of 8th Avenue South at about 2:50 p.m. Friday and discovered a landslide of about 200 feet in width. The cliff down to the beach was about 200 feet high.

He said the slide affected three homes.

Pennington said they "red-tagged" the three homes and evacuated the residents. He said the center home was the most affected, as the landslide had come all the way up to the home's deck.

He said geology experts would being called in to assess the stability of the ground in the area.