WASHINGTON STATE – Western Washington has been grappling with nearly a week of flooding, which has now turned deadly. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office recently reported that a man was found submerged in his vehicle, six feet deep in a ditch, after driving past warning signs down a flooded road.
The Washington National Guard, first responders and local response groups like Washington State Task Force One have been tirelessly working to repair levee breaches that are affecting multiple locations across the western side of the state.
High water rescues are ongoing, with some motorists having been rescued from the tops of their cars after getting stuck in rising flood waters. State officials are urging those in evacuation zones to leave, warning that staying puts both residents and first responders in danger.
Last week, in Mount Vernon and Leavenworth, residents expressed their belief that they were experiencing the worst of the flooding. However, more challenges are expected this week, with numerous flood warnings still in place across the Cascades.
Governor Bob Ferguson described the flooding’s impact as unpredictable at his latest press conference.
“It’s not a one or two day event – we’re in this for the long haul and all that water is putting a lot of stress on our infrastructure. And we’re seeing that in real time. So if you get an evacuation order – for god sake – follow it,” Ferguson said.
Governor Ferguson emphasized the significance of this event in Washington’s history, not only due to the volume of rain but also its duration. On top of the moisture, gusty winds are raising the risk of trees and power lines toppling. Many roads remain closed, including US-2 over Stevens Pass leading into Leavenworth, where parts of the road have been washed away.
“We anticipate Highway 2 will be closed for months – it’s impossible to anticipate how long that will be. This is a major highway and we understand the impact to individuals and to businesses with that highway being closed for an extended period of time. We will do everything we can to get it open as quickly as possible,” Ferguson said.
River levels are a growing concern, with the Skagit River barely in moderate flood stage and expected to reach major flood stage. The Snohomish River at Snohomish is in the action stage and is expected to rise to the high minor flood stage.
