Washington Flooding Forces Evacuations Amid Torrential Rain: Photos and Video
Heavy rainfall in western Washington this week caused rivers to inundate towns and forced 100,000 people to evacuate. On Friday, rescue crews were plucking people from atop a home in Sumas, Wash., near the U.S.-Canada border, after waters rose faster than expected, and several small towns were cut off from the rest of the state.
No one has died in the flooding so far. But the cost of damage to homes, businesses and farmland in one of the Pacific Northwest’s agricultural hubs could total tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars.
Forecasters warned that a second major storm would hit the Northwest on Sunday and drop more rain on already saturated ground, raising the risk of more flooding and landslides.
Friday, Dec. 12
A flooded neighborhood in Burlington.
The Gages Slough, a tributary of the Skagit River, flooded properties in Burlington.
The Coast Guard hoisted two people from the roof of a flooded home in Sumas.
Flooding from the Skagit River in Burlington.
Alex Farias helped push his cousin’s car out of floodwaters in Burlington.
Thursday, Dec. 11
Water poured over Springhetti Road in Snohomish.
Rescue crews evacuated residents from flooded streets in Snohomish.
Matthew Williams prepared sandbags near downtown Mount Vernon.
Crews cleared a logjam on the Snohomish River in Lake Stevens.
Gov. Bob Ferguson spoke at a news conference in Mount Vernon.
City workers prepped a flood wall as the Skagit River continued to climb in Mount Vernon.
The Snohomish River rose as it surrounded a field.
Tod Uderitz watched the Snohomish River rise in Snohomish.
Wednesday, Dec. 10
The Skykomish River raged near Index.
Floodwaters in Kent.
Deputy Sheriff Kalani Apilado helped Brandon Phasith evacuate amid rising floodwaters in Sultan.
Ben MacDicken, an operations manager for the public works department in Sultan, placed sandbags at the post office.
Tuesday, Dec. 9
Katie Gomez, who lives on Highway 20, watched water rush into her front yard near Lyman.
Baseball fields flooded by the Snoqualmie River in Fall City.
Water surrounded homes in Fall City.
Bob Peterson searched for items that floated away from a Little League Baseball field in Fall City.