UPDATING: Island County Sheriff Mark Brown tells The Daily Weekly that the massive landslide has created a sheer bank of hillside that is now straight up and down. “There are home on top of the hill that are in jeopardy,” Brown said.

Brown said at least 18 homes are without power or water and eight dwellings had to be evacuated.

Browns added that a team ofd hydro-geologists have been dispatched to the scene to evaluate at the situation.

Original post: A massive landslide struck Whibey Island in the wee hours this morning. No one was hurt, but at least one home was destroyed by mud and debris and at least 17 others had to be evacuated.

The slide occured in Coupeville, near Alderwood Street and Fircrest Avenue shortly after 4 a.m.

“It’s a pretty massive slide,” Island County Sheriff Mark Brown told KOMO-TV.

Brown speculates that the cause of the slide “must have been moisture in the ground tht accumulated.” There was no rain overnight on the island.

Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Ed Hartin Fire District said the hillside is continuing to crumble.

“There are still homes up on Firscrest Avenue that are threatened,” he said.