Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Dec 12: Days of relentless rain have triggered historic flooding across Washington state, leaving families stranded on rooftops, sweeping away bridges and roads, and destroying at least two houses. Authorities warned of even more catastrophic flooding on Friday as rivers continued to swell.
Washington remains under a state of emergency, with evacuation orders issued for tens of thousands of residents. Governor Bob Ferguson urged people to strictly follow evacuation instructions as another major river approached record levels. “We’re looking at a historic situation,” he warned on X.
Nearly 78,000 residents in the agricultural belt north of Seattle were ordered to evacuate the floodplain of the Skagit River, which was expected to crest Friday morning. The flooding has affected large portions of the state, submerging bridges, washing out roads and cutting off major routes such as State Route 410. A landslide also blocked part of Interstate 90, trapping vehicles under mud, debris and fallen trees.
Near the U.S.-Canada border, the towns of Sumas, Nooksack and Everson were evacuated as waters surged. The Sumas border crossing remained shut and Amtrak suspended all trains between Seattle and Vancouver. Sumas Mayor Bruce Bosch said much of the city had been “devastated,” just four years after a similar disaster.
Several rivers shattered long-standing records. The Snohomish River surged nearly a foot above its previous high, while the Skagit River also overtopped its historic record in Mount Vernon. In Concrete, floodwaters nearly entered homes, damaging vehicles and hurling debris against structures.
Mount Vernon, often battered by Skagit River floods, saw water reach the base of its floodwall — a system that last faced pressure during the 2021 near-record river crest. Nearby Burlington relied on dikes and flood-control systems to keep waters at bay.
Rescue operations have intensified statewide. Helicopters airlifted two families from rooftops in Sumas after water rose nearly 15 feet, flooding even the city’s fire station. In Welcome, erosion caused two homes to collapse into the Nooksack River, though no casualties were reported. In Snoqualmie, an entire herd of elk was seen swimming through waist-deep water on a sports field.
In Issaquah, residents used pumps to clear their waterlogged yards, while officials cordoned off hazardous areas along the swollen creek.
Scientists caution that while individual weather events cannot be directly attributed to climate change without specific study, global warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall, floods and storms. Another storm system is expected to bring more rain beginning Sunday.
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