Weather in the United States is keeping the people on their toes. Portions of Washington State had to deal with record rain and snow, resulting in floods, landslides, and avalanche risks with debris-littered roads. The authorities have issued an evacuation order for a section of residents of Mason County.
This is a precaution taken in view of rising water levels and "imminent flooding." The alert is specific: "Evacuate the area immediately or be prepared to shelter in place for at least 72 hours." Closure of roads would mean travel difficulties.
Moreover, the floodwaters could uproot power lines with consequent power outages.
The mayor of Leavenworth, in central Washington State, declared a disaster in the city. The reason was record-breaking snowfall with associated concerns for the safety of the people and structures.
Response of Washington National Guard to the floods
The National Guard will look after welfare checks of the citizens, delivery of food, general snow cleanup, and removal of snow from a private driveway. There would be the deployment of the Washington National Guards members to Lewis County to fill up sandbags and extend assistance to the locals. That will help them to respond to the floods. CNN mentions the closure of a long stretch of an Interstate highway from both directions.
This was due to rising water levels from a nearby river. This happens to be a primary interstate into Seattle from the south. The authorities arranged for a boat to rescue stranded people along the flooded roadway.
Cities in Washington experience heavy rainfall with fears of floods
The level of water in rivers like the Chehalis and the Skookumchuck could result in floods.
National Weather Service NWS cautions that "the river will flood most residential areas and roads and cover most of the farmland in the Skookumchuck River valley." The NWS office in Seattle cautions that heavy rainfall in several cities in Washington triggered flooding. CNN adds that rain and snow plummeted regions from Washington down to California.
Their cumulative effect will increase the threat of floods and avalanches. The rain and snow are helpful to tackle drought conditions, but excess is counterproductive.
Landslides and floods closed some highways
Water levels in the Chehalis River closed a long stretch of Interstate 5 in southwestern Washington. Landslides and floods closed some other highways, as the Washington State Department of Transportation DOT informed. These gave rise to issues related to travel. The floodwaters submerged several vehicles and left the commuters stranded. Multiple counties undertook evacuation of residents for their safety. A home on a hillside in a Seattle neighborhood slid off its foundation. There were flood warnings for at least seven rivers and creeks in the region. A meteorologist with the NWS in Seattle said: "Snowmelt from the mountains exacerbated the amount of water in lowland areas and king tides also caused coastal flooding."
