Washington Orders Evacuations as Floods Intensify Under Statewide Emergency
The declaration enables access to federal aid to bolster the response to a long‑lived atmospheric river.
Overview
- In Skagit County, authorities ordered residents in the 100‑year floodplain to evacuate, the governor announced.
- Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and said as many as 100,000 people could ultimately be evacuated.
- Officials describe unstable conditions as an intense atmospheric river continues to drench the Pacific Northwest.
- Forecasters report up to 200 mm of rain has fallen since Monday with similar totals possible in coming days, raising risks of major river flooding, landslides and debris flows.
- ABC estimates more than 9 million people across Washington, Oregon and Idaho are in potential flood zones, and the Washington Post reports the storm corridor stretches over 11,000 km and may reach category 4–5 intensity.