Oso Seattle Mudslide and the process of liquefaction

My Geology Professor in Seattle was inclined to warn us in great detail about the dangers and hazards of the Pasific Northwest coastal landscape, one of those being liquefaction.  Basically, he recommended that before you build a house or even buy lland you should have a geologist survey it to be sure your bacyard won't eventually end up in your livingroom OR - worse - your town gets buried alive when the getound gets so saturated with rainfall that ir just simply turns into liquid and sloshes over anything in its path... 

pretty terrifying.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023215066_mudslidemondayxml.html

and here is  State Geologist Dave Norman discussing the science behind the disaster:

http://seattletimes.com/flatpages/video/mediacenterbc3.html?bctid=3387727468001