Washington Floods Force 100,000 Evacuations; Gov. Ferguson Declares Emergency
Historic atmospheric river storms caused record flooding in Washington state, forcing over 100,000 residents to evacuate, prompting state and federal emergency declarations, and ongoing rescue efforts as new storms approach.
2 killed and 9 injured in Brown University shooting, no suspect in custody
After failure in the Senate, House GOP has its own health care proposal
Pittsburgh braces for heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures | Live First Alert Weather
Chile votes in polarizing presidential runoff as far-right takes lead
Historic floods have washed away homes and stranded families in Washington state
Historic floods across Washington state forced mass evacuations this week, with more than 100,000 residents ordered to leave their homes as rivers surged to record levels and an approaching new storm threatened to compound the disaster.npr +1 Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on December 10, and President Donald Trump approved a federal emergency declaration two days later to unlock additional aid.cbsnews +1
The deluge followed an intense atmospheric river that dumped up to 16 inches of rain in three days across western Washington, sending at least six major rivers, including the Skagit and Snohomish, into “catastrophic” flood stage and submerging entire neighborhoods from Whatcom County near the Canadian border down through King and Skagit counties.npr +1
Entire Towns Underwater and Roads Cut Off
National Guard troops and local responders carried out door‑to‑door evacuations in low‑lying communities such as Burlington, Mount Vernon, Sumas and Everson, where floodwaters in some streets reached roof level, forcing swift‑water rescues by boat and helicopter.npr +1 Roughly 3,800 evacuees took shelter in emergency centers set up in the Skagit River floodplain alone, with officials warning that many might not return home for days or weeks.npr +1
More than 20 state highways across 11 counties were closed by flooding, landslides or washouts, including long stretches of US 2, US 12 and sections of Interstate 90 east of Seattle, isolating some rural towns and disrupting freight routes through the Cascade passes.npr +1 “This situation is unpredictable, it’s dangerous,” said Robert Ezelle, the state’s emergency management director, urging residents to obey evacuation orders as rivers continued to crest.npr
Government Mobilizes as New Storm Looms
Ferguson’s emergency proclamation on December 10 activated the Washington National Guard, which deployed up to 300 soldiers to sandbag levees, airlift stranded residents and support local police and fire departments.npr +1 By Friday, Guard helicopters were flying continuous rescue missions while engineers worked to shore up weakened dikes and assess damage to bridges and roads.npr
Trump’s December 12 approval of a federal emergency declaration cleared the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide generators, temporary housing, debris removal and other assistance, after Washington’s entire congressional delegation jointly appealed for help.cbsnews +1 Local officials also warned of mounting economic costs as farms, warehouses and small businesses across at least 16 counties reported significant damage.npr +1
Meteorologists said the atmospheric river that triggered the flooding stretched more than 7,000 miles across the Pacific, funneling unusually warm, moisture‑laden air into the region—part of a pattern scientists linked to more frequent and intense downpours in a warming climate.npr +1 With forecasts calling for another atmospheric river to reach the Pacific Northwest as early as Sunday night, officials kept flood warnings in place and told evacuees to brace for an extended emergency. “The people of Washington have not faced this level of flooding before,” Ferguson said, calling the event “truly historic.”pbs