(The Center Square) – Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday held a press briefing to announce he has requested a disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address widespread flooding across Western Washington after several days of near-record rainfall.
Even as the governor spoke, several flood-prone communities were in the midst of evacuating residents and issuing emergency alerts to prepare for departure.
“We need the federal government to grant that request. This is critical,” Ferguson said from Camp Murray, where the state’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated 24/7. “If you receive an evacuation order, please, please follow that order.”
Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the current adjutant general for the Washington National Guard, told reporters 100 National Guard members have been activated to assist flooded communities today, and by Thursday, 300 will be activated.
Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division, said that tens of thousands of people may need to be evacuated in the Mount Vernon and Arlington areas.
“We see that the 1990 record is probably going to be exceeded by about four feet upriver,” he said. “So what that means is the county is preparing to evacuate 75,000 people who are living in low-lying areas. “Go-now orders could be coming as soon as this evening.”
Emergency evacuations were underway on Wednesday in Orting, as floodwaters from the Carbon River and the Puyallup River are spilling into neighborhoods and making roads impassable due to heavy rains continuing.
Central Pierce Fire and Rescue posted that river levels within Orting are extremely high, and officials are also concerned about levees upstream on the Puyallup River.
The Center Square reached out to Orting Mayor Josh Penner, who said the city’s two police officers went door to door to make sure people were heeding the evacuation order, although no one was forced to leave their home.
“This matches our highest river level that we’ve ever had, the highest record level,” he said. “The difference between then, when we had water flowing down the streets in our city, and now is we’ve done substantial improvement on our flood control structures in and around the city in the last 15 years. So it likely would have been extreme flooding in the city, but that’s been mitigated.”
Central Pierce Fire and Rescue issued go-now orders for the areas of Williams Boulevard Northwest, Mellinger Avenue Northwest and Stone Street Northwest.
“An evacuation center is opening up at the Multi-Purpose Center (Library) in downtown Orting, if you need a place to stay warm, dry, and fed,” according to the orders posted.
Penner said through a coordinated emergency response, they were able to issue targeted alerts to the homes where flooding was expected to be the worst, rather than issue flood alerts to the entire community.
“So we’re able to sort of stop the stampede if you want to put it that way,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Carnation, the Snoqualmie River is headed toward the “major flooding” stage.
City Manager Rhonda Ender said that with Carnation being at the confluence of the Snoqualmie River and Tolt River, they are used to flooding.
“This is higher than we’ve seen in the last couple years for sure. We are expecting the Tolt to go from moderate to major tonight and the Snoqualmie to transition from moderate to major tomorrow, and we’re expecting additional rainfall as well,” she noted.
Ender said the city of Carnation itself is not underwater, but the surrounding areas and farmland are inundated.
“So, we become isolated out here and a bit of an island because it’s difficult to get in and out because of all the surrounding flooding,” she explained.
AccuWeather posted dramatic drone footage on X of the flooded Snoqualmie River Valley.
Record flooding is expected near Mount Vernon from the Skagit River. According to the Northwest River Forecast Council, flood stage from the Skagit at Mount Vernon is 23.5 cubic feet per second, with the river expected to reach a record 41.54 cubic feet per second.
Skagit County issued a Facebook alert early Wednesday.
Washington Weather Chasers also posted images of a washed-out section of State Route 906 at Snoqualmie Pass where the pavement buckled.
“ANYONE LIVING WITHIN THE 100-YEAR FLOOD PLAIN IS AT A LEVEL 2: GET READY EVACUATION PREP. This means you are prepared for an evacuation order within the next 24 hours. If you are in or near the 100-year flood plain, make sure you have your Go! Kit ready and in your vehicle,” the post stated.
