Washington state in the United States has been experiencing consecutive days of heavy rain brought by an “atmospheric river,” leading to river breaches, frequent mudslides, and the declaration of a state of emergency by the governor. The state government is urging around 100,000 residents to evacuate urgently in preparation for potential catastrophic flooding.
The Washington State Emergency Management Department has stated that at least 26 rivers are currently at risk of flooding, with the number of evacuees continuing to rise.
Spokesperson for the Washington State Emergency Management Department, Karina Shagren, confirmed to CNN that approximately 100,000 people have been advised to evacuate. Governor Bob Ferguson has warned of “life-threatening” conditions in the coming days and urged residents on the social platform X to prepare for flooding.
“We anticipate potentially 100,000 Washington state residents facing evacuation orders. The situation is rapidly evolving. The rivers are expected to reach historic high water levels as early as 4 am tomorrow and persist until Friday morning,” he said. “Please keep your phones on tonight and ensure your phone’s emergency alert feature is enabled.”
The state government has requested support from water rescue teams and ships, with hundreds of National Guard members being deployed to assist in rescue and evacuation efforts in various communities.
Currently, at least eight rivers and streams in western Washington state are experiencing severe flooding, with the Skagit River and Snohomish River possibly approaching or exceeding historical records.
Mount Vernon section:
Peak water levels are expected Friday morning, potentially exceeding historical records by more than 2 feet at 37.4 feet (approximately 11.4 meters).
Concrete section:
Peak water levels are expected Thursday morning, reaching slightly above its historical record peak of 42.2 feet (approximately 12.9 meters).
Monroe/Snohomish section:
Peak water levels are expected to reach or slightly below historical records from Thursday to Friday.
Skagit County, a major agricultural area, has ordered residents in flood zones to evacuate. The largest city in the county, Mount Vernon, is facing a severe test as even though the city constructed flood barriers in 2018, it remains on high alert due to the expected high water levels.
Road Closures:
Heavy rainfall has led to road closures, with Amtrak train services between Seattle and Vancouver suspended.
Mudslides:
Sections of Highway 90 east of Seattle are blocked by mudslides, trapping vehicles in tree trunks and mud.
Power Outages:
Over 17,000 households or businesses are without power.
Border Evacuation:
The small city of Sumas near the US-Canada border has issued a flood warning and requested residents to evacuate. The border checkpoint has closed to southbound commercial vehicles to allow more space for evacuations.
Rescue Efforts:
In areas like Orting, police have rescued residents trapped in waist-deep floodwaters in mobile home parks.
Meteorologists state that this “atmospheric river,” resembling a “jet stream” spanning the Pacific, continues to bring heavy rainfall to the coastlines of Oregon and Washington states. In the past 24 hours, Elkhorn in Oregon received 5.43 inches (about 13.79 centimeters) of rainfall, while Foss in the same state received 5.25 inches (about 13.34 centimeters).
According to the Associated Press, another storm system is forecasted to bring more rainfall starting from Sunday.