Thousands under evacuation orders as flooding hits Pacific Northwest

BBC:

Residents in the Pacific Northwest of the US and western Canada are bracing for potentially life-threatening floods as several days of heavy rain have swollen a number of rivers and tributaries.

On Thursday, the National Water Center reported heavy flooding along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers in the state of Washington that is expected to continue through Friday.

In Canada, major highways to Vancouver have been closed because of flooding, debris and the risk of avalanches.

There are evacuation orders in place for thousands of people in the US and Canada, and authorities have warned more rain is on the way.

In the US, the governor of Washington state, Bob Ferguson, declared a statewide emergency and estimated 100,000 residents could face evacuation orders.

The emergency declaration warned that rain and possibly snow at mountain elevations would exacerbate flooding conditions.

Governor Ferguson said there were no reports of fatalities, but warned residents the risk wasn’t over yet.

“The flooding levels we’re looking at are potentially historic in nature, so we just want to emphasise how serious the situation is,” Ferguson said at a news briefing,

The Skagit River “will be cresting tomorrow mid-morning. Again, that is expected to be historic level on that river”, he told CNN on Thursday evening.

He warned it would take “weeks” to recover from the storm, and appealed for help from the federal government.

An evacuation order was lifted in the Orting community south of Seattle, but Central Pierce Fire and Rescue cautioned residents to “remain vigilant into the evening”.

“Remember, turn around don’t drown,” the department wrote on Thursday on X.