After more than a week of relentless rain, Washington state is grappling with record flooding that has forced hundreds of rescues and left one man dead.
State of Emergency and Rescue Efforts
Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday that the damage was profound but unclear, as high water, mudslides and power outages continue. More than 600 rescues have been conducted across 10 counties, with 629 rescues and 572 assisted evacuations reported by the governor’s office. At times, up to 100,000 people were under evacuation orders, many in the Skagit River flood plain north of Seattle.
Levee Breaches and Evacuations
In Pacific, south of Seattle, a breached levee prompted residents to leave before dawn Tuesday, hours after an evacuation alert was lifted for another broken levee. The King County Sheriff’s Office used a helicopter with a loudspeaker to knock on doors, according to Brandyn Hull, communications manager. A 911 caller reported water entering an apartment at 1:20 a.m., the first sign of the breach for the Valley Regional Fire Authority. About 100 people were evacuated early Tuesday, some pulled from first-floor windows. Eventually, residents of roughly 220 homes were evacuated, with no injuries reported.
Police in Pacific requested a tractor with an 8-foot bucket to fill a sandbagging machine and later called on the public to help fill sandbags.
In the Snohomish area, a man who drove past warning signs was found dead early Tuesday in a submerged car. Rescue swimmers located the vehicle in about 6 feet of water. The driver, a 33-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene after lifesaving measures failed.
Governor’s Message and Recovery Outlook
“We’re in for the long haul,” Ferguson said at a news conference. “If you get an evacuation order, for God’s sakes, follow it.” He added that State Route 2, which connects western Washington to the Stevens Pass ski area and Leavenworth, could remain closed for months. Workers will not fully assess damage until waters recede and landslide risk subsides. The state and some counties have made several million dollars available for hotels, groceries and other necessities, pending federal assistance expected to be approved.
During a briefing on last week’s storm, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Jamal Beckham said most calls were from people trying to drive through water or stranded on vehicles. “They did not understand how rapidly the water rises,” Beckham said Saturday. “We pulled people off the roof of their cars. And if we had not gotten there, the car would have been completely covered.”
Key Takeaways
- Record rains of up to 2 feet caused widespread flooding and over 600 rescues.
- One fatality occurred when a man drove into a flooded ditch.
- Major highways, including State Route 2, are closed and may stay shut for months.
The floods underscore the need for strict evacuation compliance and highlight the ongoing recovery challenges facing Washington state.
