In only five days, the Pacific Northwest has received over a foot of rain, causing rivers to reach significant flood levels and deluging highways and towns.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, roughly 500 residents were displaced Monday due to floods in Whatcom County, Washington, which is located in the northwest region of the state near the Canadian border.
Flooding and mudslides stopped Interstate 5 in Bellingham, Whatcom County, overnight. In the aftermath of "severe" floods and mudslides in the province's southern portion, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth stated during a news conference Tuesday evening that one fatality had been reported on Highway 99.
Floods occur faster in Washington and Canada
According to David Boone, assistant head of the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services' operations section, about 300 individuals were stuck in their automobiles on Highway 7 east of Vancouver.
On another section of Highway 7, 500 people were detained in their cars for more than 24 hours, but they were able to drive out after the roads were cleared, he added. Per ABC News, Highway 5 in British Columbia was also closed due to flooding, with one official describing the situation as "a disaster waiting to happen."
The storms, which began on Sunday, destroyed roads, prompted the closure of an oil pipeline, shut down Canada's two main railways, and restricted land access to Vancouver, the country's largest port.
On Tuesday, officials in the small town of Sumas, Washington, posted on Facebook that hundreds of people had been evacuated and that an estimated 75% of homes had been flooded. A 59-year-old man, named as Jose Garcia by authorities on Tuesday, remained missing after his pickup was washed into a flooded area southwest of the city, as per Sky News.
At least two additional persons have been reported missing, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On Tuesday, the Sumas River flooded, overwhelming rescuers in Abbotsford, British Columbia, forcing the evacuation of 1,100 families.
More deaths are expected
Community members worked together to rescue trapped livestock from a farm, using Jet Skis to assist in the rescue. Impassable roads, according to Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun, were causing turmoil as officials attempted to send residents to evacuation locations.
After days of torrential rain created mudslides and floods and forced the shutdown of the West Coast's main north-south roadway near the Canadian border, almost 50,000 Washington state electricity customers were still without power Tuesday, officials said.
Rains triggered by an atmospheric river spreading across the Pacific and into Washington and Oregon were diminishing, and road personnel were able to restore southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington. However, the northbound lanes of the highway were remained closed in the region.
About 158,000 electricity customers were without power on Monday during the storm's peak, and Bellingham schools were canceled for the second day in a row on Tuesday. Authorities said one individual was remained missing Tuesday north of Bellingham after being observed clinging to a tree in floods.
Floodwaters swamped business districts and partially submerged cars in communities north of Seattle, and winds gusted at speeds of 60 mph (96 kph), including one gust of 58 mph (93 kph) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Evacuations were ordered in multiple areas as floodwaters swamped business districts and partially submerged cars in communities north of Seattle.
Although the National Weather Service issued flood advisories for many rivers in western Washington, forecasters projected drier weather on Tuesday. Gov. Jay Inslee announced a severe weather state of emergency in 14 counties, saying the state's Emergency Management Division would coordinate the response with the help of the Washington National Guard, Business Standard reported.
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