Residents in the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada are bracing for what could be record-setting floods as an atmospheric river dumps heavy rain on already swollen rivers. The US National Weather Service warns that catastrophic flooding is possible in the states of Oregon and Washington along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers.
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 on Thursday.
In the US, Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday, estimating around 100,000 residents could soon face evacuation orders. The emergency declaration emphasized that continued rain and snow at mountain elevations would exacerbate flooding conditions and severely impact supply chains and transportation.
In Skagit County, a significant agricultural area north of Seattle, an immediate evacuation order was issued for residents living in the floodplain, with an estimated 75,000 affected. The director of Washington's Military Department's Emergency Management Division, Robert Ezelle, confirmed this during a press briefing.
Across the border in Canada's British Columbia, evacuation orders are also in place for communities like Tulameen and Eastgate, with urgent evacuations ordered for 371 properties in Abbotsford at 23:00 local time on Wednesday (07:00 GMT on Thursday).
The entire region is experiencing torrential rain from an atmospheric river, a phenomenon where water evaporates into the air, carried by wind to form long currents in the sky. The heaviest rainfall is expected to subside by Thursday afternoon, but the water will continue to flow into rivers.
Another storm is forecast for Sunday, potentially worsening the situation.
