Story at a glance
- Heavy rain flooded large parts of western Washington state and Canada.
- Some areas logged up to 6 inches of rain over the past several days.
- Residents of Hamilton, a town northeast of Seattle, and Mount Vernon were advised to evacuate the area Sunday.
Heavy rains and powerful winds brought on by an atmospheric river caused severe flooding and mudslides in parts of Washington state and Canada Monday, prompting evacuations and rescues in several communities.
AP
Several flood warnings were issued by the National Weather Service in western Washington and rivers began to swell Monday following days of rainfall, according to The Associated Press.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued a severe weather emergency proclamation for 14 western Washington counties to direct state resources to do “everything reasonably possible” to help those negatively affected by the weather, as some areas logged up to 6 inches of rain over the past several days.
Wind gusts reached upwards of 60 miles per hour in some areas, with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport clocking winds at 58 mph.
Flooding and mudslides forced the closure of the I-5 in both directions in Whatcom County, which sits along the Canadian border. Southbound lanes in some areas began reopening early Tuesday, according to local King 5.
Residents of Hamilton, a town northeast of Seattle, and Mount Vernon were advised to evacuate the area Sunday.
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Whatcom County officials said about 500 people were displaced in the north and northeast areas of the county due to flooding and hundreds were moved to shelter locations. Emergency officials in the county were conducting search and rescue missions Monday night.
At one point Monday more than 158,000 people were without power in the region, according to The Associated Press. By Tuesday morning about 50,000 were without electricity.
In Canada, nearly 300 people trapped in their cars by several mudslides that blocked a highway were rescued using military helicopters, according to CBC news.
No serious injuries have been reported at this time. Conditions are expected to improve Tuesday.
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