Appalachian News-Express — Landslides are a deadly and costly natural disaster. In the U.S., 25 to 50 people on average are killed by landslides each year, according to the Department of Interior. In Whitley County, Kentucky, over 90% of the land is susceptible to landslides. In McCreary County, it’s over 97%. This is where the U.S. Forest Service plans to clearcut over 5,000 acres of very steep slopes.