By Blessing Nweke
Residents across the Pacific Northwest of the United States and western Canada are bracing for days of potentially life-threatening flooding as an intense atmospheric river continues to drench the region. Already-swollen rivers have surged to major and, in some cases, near-record levels, prompting mass evacuations, widespread road closures and a statewide emergency declaration in Washington.
The National Water Center reported severe flooding along Washington’s Skagit and Snohomish rivers on Thursday, conditions expected to worsen into Friday as more rainfall and high-elevation snowmelt feed the waterways. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday, warning that up to 100,000 residents could soon face evacuation orders. He cautioned that the storm’s impacts on transportation and supply chains could be felt for weeks.
More than 30 highways across Washington are closed, including major routes in and around Seattle. Mudslides have blocked travel east of the city, stranding commuters and halting traffic on Interstate 90 after debris slammed into three vehicles. Though no major injuries were reported, authorities are investigating whether a fatal Wednesday crash was weather-related. In another incident, a 65-year-old driver was injured when a log propelled from rising floodwaters crashed through his windscreen.
Skagit County, home to vast agricultural lands, issued immediate evacuation orders for floodplain residents, with officials
preparing to move as many as 75,000 people from low-lying areas. NOAA warned that the Skagit River could reach “severe near-record flooding,” threatening communities including Rockport, Sedro-Woolley, Hamilton and Cape Horn.
Rescue operations are underway statewide, involving helicopters, rescue swimmers and inflatable boats. In Snohomish County, crews airlifted multiple residents trapped in homes as the Skykomish and Snohomish rivers surged to dangerous levels. Officials warn road closures could last days.
Across the border in British Columbia, communities including Tulameen, Eastgate and parts of Abbotsford are under evacuation orders as highways to Vancouver close due to flooding, debris and avalanche risk. Authorities say the region is unlikely to see a repeat of the catastrophic 2021 floods, but significant inundation is expected as rivers continue to rise.
Though the heaviest rainfall is expected to taper by Thursday afternoon, another storm system is forecast to arrive Sunday, prolonging the crisis.
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