Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Wednesday (12/10/2025) in response to severe flooding affecting several counties and keeping more than 75,000 people on evacuation alert after heavy rains left large pools of water.
An atmospheric river has been pouring across the state since last Monday, leaving several inches of rain and threatening severe flooding in communities near the rivers.
Further rainfall is expected these days and the National Weather Service (NWS) has predicted between 15 and 20 centimeters of rain for communities in the far west from Wednesday morning to Thursday afternoon, complicating the emergency.
The expected amount of rain in the highest areas of the state bordering Canada could exceed 20 centimeters, increasing the risk.
“Lives will be at stake in the coming days,” Ferguson, a Democrat, said at a news conference.
Stressing the seriousness of the situation, the governor said he would request an expedited emergency declaration from President Donald Trump’s administration to access resources and respond to the emergency.
“I want to encourage all Washingtonians to pay close attention to the warnings issued by their counties and emergency management departments. If you receive an evacuation order, please obey it,” the governor insisted.
Most rivers from the Canadian border to southwest Washington are in flood stage. Several water records are expected to be broken, such as the Skagit River, which could surpass the 1990 flood when its water level rose by 1.2 meters.
About 75,000 people are at risk of flooding in Skagit County, so authorities are maintaining a possible evacuation warning.
The Washington State National Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers have been activated to assist with evacuations following flooding in rural areas.
gs (efe, ap)
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