An evacuation order has been issued by officials in Washington state amid the threat of potential “catastrophic” flooding, according to ABC News.
Officials in Skagit County warned that “all residents living within the 100-year floodplain should evacuate to high ground immediately” as the area is expected to see “record-setting levels” of flooding in the coming days.
“The Skagit River is predicted to crest at record-setting levels over the next two days,” Skagit County officials said via ABC News. “The city of Concrete is expected to see a crest at 46.13 feet and Mount Vernon is predicted to crest at 42.13 feet. In 2021, the Skagit River set records at 38.93 feet in Concrete and at 33.11 feet in Mount Vernon.”
Another 4 to 8 inches of rain is possible for areas within the western region of the state located in higher elevations. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a state of emergency on Wednesday (December 10) and advised residents to evacuate safely.
“WSP Chief Batiste has authorized an All-Risk Mobilization Plan, including a request for 4 swift water rescue teams, swift water technicians, boats and operators, and a rescue swimmer. This will allow other jurisdictions to share those resources with Snohomish and Skagit counties,” Ferguson wrote on his X account.
The governor also said state officials expected 100,000 residents to be affected by the potential record-setting flooding.
“We anticipate potentially 100,000 Washingtonians facing evacuation orders. The situation is fluid and changing all the time. We expect rivers to hit historic levels as early as 4 a.m. tomorrow, lasting into Friday morning,” Ferguson wrote in a separate post.
Recent Comments