Washington State Will Be A Memorable Flood Event

ORTING, Wash. -- Emergency crews are already scrambling to assist with evacuations in neighborhoods inundated by rising floodwaters, and most area rivers are not expected to crest until Thursday morning.

"This is going to be a memorable flood event," said Andy Haner, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle.

Hydrologists are predicting record flood levels on the Chehalis, Cowlitz, Puyallup, Stillaguamish and Carbon rivers. These are the same areas where massive flooding in December 2007 cut off towns for days and caused millions in damage.

State transportation Secretary Paula Hammond expects floodwaters will close Interstate 5 by midnight in Lewis County, but state emergency management officials said I-5 may need to be closed in Fife north of the Puyallup River Bridge this evening.

In Orting, residents were being urged to evacuate as waters rise on the Carbon River and South Prairie Creek. Many homes in the area were already flooded and roads had been cut off.

"They expect the town of Orting to go under water," Pierce County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said, adding that the flooding could be the worst in more than a decade.

Police were going door-to-door asking residents to leave, and automated phone messages with the evacuation request were also sent out. Fire trucks rolled through with loudspeakers, advising everyone to leave the town and surrounding valley, home to about 26,000 people.

At least three people were rescued by boat Wednesday morning after being trapped by high water outside Orting. Fire and rescue personnel from several agencies launched at least two small motorboats to check an area where neighbors said about two dozen people live.

Diane Knowles of Eatonville said three of her relatives were taken to safety in the rescue operation.

"It came up so fast this time, there wasn't really time to think about it," she said, adding that the family's homes did not appear to be in danger.

In Fife, the mayor declared a state of emergency and asked citizens working and living south of Interstate 5 to begin voluntary evacuation. Mayor Barry Johnson urged displaced residents to seek higher ground by 5 p.m. while official look for a temporary shelter.

Members of the Puyallup Tribe were urged to respond to the Fife Emerald Queen Casino.

As the day progressed floodwaters continued to rise, and firefighters throughout the region used boats, hovercraft and 4x4 vehicles to evacuate people trapped by rising rivers.

An avalanche has caused significant damage to both the Snoqualmie Ski report and two homes nearby. The slide occurred late Wednesday morning at the 140 East Base area of the Snoqualmie Pass Ski area, the Washington State Patrol reports. Two homes at Chamonix Place near Hyak were also hit by the slide. Reports were that one person was briefly trapped inside, but there are no reports of injuries yet.

The homes suffered an estimated $500,000 in damage. The State Patrol reported there is major damage to the actual ski area, and State Route 906 was also washed out in the area.

Officials planned to close the Nisqually entrance to Mount Rainier National Park Wednesday evening as a precautionary measure against flooding.

Over in Skagit County, a mudslide sent a house in Concrete down the hillside into the downtown area near the intersection of Dillard and Division.

Mark Marquette, who lives nearby, told KOMO 1000 News that one woman was briefly trapped inside the house. Neighbors tried to get her free, but were unable to until firefighters arrived pulled her out. The woman was not seriously injured.

Many school districts throughout the region have closed or altered bus routes due to flooding, and some that started on time are sent students home early (see full schools list).

The roads were no better for commuters, who were met Wednesday morning with standing water on roadways, mudslides, and road closures that are changing minute by minute. (Check the latest road alerts for King County, Snohomish County, Skagit County, Thurston County Whatcom County, and Lewis County.)

With the major highway passes in the Cascades closed by avalanche danger, Hammond said it looks as if traffic to Western Washington will be cut off if I-5 is shut down. She called it the "worst of the worst" situation.

In Lewis County, police said the town of Morton is cut off by flooding, and firefighters are working to evacuate residents trapped by floodwaters.

In Clallam County, two state troopers were trapped on State Route 112 for more than 12 hours after the road was cut off by water. The two troopers went to the area about 45 miles west of Port Angeles to help a driver who was stuck, but water covered the road before they were able to leave. They were finally able to get out just before 11 a.m. Wednesday.

King County emergency officials said the Tolt River was running at historically high levels Wednesday afternoon -- the highest levels seen since the river was dammed in the 1960s. The Snoqualmie River could reach levels not seen since 1990.

Stranded cars and water rescues were clogging streets in eastern King County. Even residents in Snoqualmie, who are usually ready for flood conditions, were caught off off-guard by the speed of the rising river.

On Wednesday afternoon, volunteers were filling sandbags that were free for the taking.

Bob Verity and his family got the warning to evacuate early Wednesday morning. They tried to drive out, but it was already too late; the water was waist-deep. The family couldn't walk out as Verity's wife suffers from diabetes and has an artificial leg.

"We needed to get her out of the house. There is no way she can stand in water. And we're not flooded in the house, thank God, but it's getting close," Verity said.

The family had to wait for rescuers to find a boat and pull them to safety.

Officials in Whatcom County declared an emergency to help deal with flooded roads and mudslides.

Police Lt. Rick Sucee said small creeks are now rivers and ditches are overflowing. He said mudslides have hit at least three homes and left been left in 4 feet of mud. Some slides were in the Acme area where water has closed Highway 9. The Mount Baker Highway also is closed.

Sucee said the main street in Bellingham, Meridian, was covered with water. And water was up to the doors of businesses on Iowa Street, the city's auto row. There are no reports of injuries.

Heavy snow and avalanche danger in the mountains has forced the closure of Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, and Stevens Pass has been closed since Tuesday afternoon.

Flood warnings are in effect for several rivers, meaning flooding is occurring or imminent. Here are the forecasts for those rivers currently on Flood Warning. All others remain on Flood Watch. (Updated 4:35 p.m. Wednesday)

[link to www.komonews.com]