Flooding Causes 80 to Evacuate in Washington
Rain and melting snow pushed rivers over their banks, sweeping away at least three homes, collapsing part of a bridge and forcing as many as 80 people to evacuate, officials said Friday.
Flood warnings remained in effect Friday along the Nooksack and three other rivers in northwestern Washington, with the National Weather Service predicting warm weather and occasionally heavy rain in the Cascade Mountains.
The worst problems were in Whatcom County, where the loss of a bridge over the Nooksack cut off access to about 10,000 to 11,000 people, although some could be reached overland through Canada, said Gary Myers of the county’s Department of Emergency Services. Two days of warm rain melted snow on 10,775-foot Mt. Baker, filling the river’s three forks.
Myers said three houses and several mobile homes had been swept away near Glacier, 90 miles north of Seattle. No one was injured, he said.
Flood warnings also were posted along the Skagit, Snoqualmie and Snohomish rivers.
Washington 9 and 544 were closed at Everson, where most of the evacuations occurred.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
