 The sequence of earthquakes caused widespread landslides from the coast to east of Scotia and from the northern extent of the Eel River basin near Thompson Hill to south of Petrolia . Most of these were existing landslides that had been re @-@ initiated and the largest of the slides were either slumps or bedding plane failures along the coastal bluffs . Several slump failures between Guthrie Creek and Oil Creek stretched from the bluffs out towards the shore for a distance of 150 meters ( 490 ft ) , leaving some of the slide to be eroded by the surf . The road between Ferndale and Petrolia was closed for more than a week where about six mostly minor landslides blocked the passage , with the roadway itself sustaining light damage due to sliding or settlement of the road fill in a few instances . One of the largest slides occurred along the railroad tracks at the Scotia bluffs where previous slides had taken place . That slide also took about a week to clear . 
