BELLINGHAM, Wash.: Heavy rain and high winds in Washington on Monday caused flooding and landslides, forcing people to evacuate and closing sections of Interstate 5 and schools near Bellingham as the storm rocked the Pacific Northwest .
The National Weather Service warned that winds near hurricane strength are possible in the region, where it has been raining incessantly for about a week. Gusts of 58 mph (93 kph) were reported at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Monday.
The Seattle Times reported that more than 158,000 customers were without electricity in western Washington on Monday.
The Skagit Valley Herald reported that a state of emergency was declared for the city of Hamilton on Sunday afternoon, and urged residents about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northeast of Seattle to evacuate as soon as possible.
The Red Cross was operating an evacuation shelter at the Baptist Church in Hamilton.
As the water was making its way down the Skagit River, people were warned of the potential for flooding in Cedro-Woolley, Burlington and Mount Vernon. Some people piloted a private boat on Monday at a water-filled playground in Cedro-Wully.
In Sumas, Washington, just south of the Canadian border, officials said City Hall was flooded and were saying flooding had not been seen since 1990.
At this time there is no safe way to drive to Bellingham without putting yourself or others at risk. The city police department said via Twitter, “Please do not drive in standing or strong water.”
Nicole Postama, who owns a coffee stand in Sumas and is president of the Sumas Chamber of Commerce, told The Bellingham Herald on Monday that people are nervous.
We knew there was going to be a flood, but didn’t know it would happen.”
Officials using a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office rescue vehicle were evacuating stranded residents in the Everson area, southwest of Sumas, officials said on Twitter.
According to the National Weather Service, Bellingham experienced record rainfall on Sunday with a total of 2.78 inches (7 centimeters) in one day, crushing the prior daily record of 0.88 inches (2.2 centimeters) from 1998.
All schools in the Bellingham, Washington, district and surrounding districts were closed on Monday due to dangerous travel conditions. A landslide occurred on a portion of northbound Interstate 5 near Bellingham on Monday afternoon, leaving three cars trapped in the rubble.
No one was seriously injured, State Trooper Rocky Oliphant said on Twitter, and there was no estimated time for the road to reopen.
Kylon Coombs of Bellingham flooded some of the interstate city streets from his home near Lake Whatcom with his truck and paddle board.
It looked great there (by the lake), but the road looks a little better, he said. He met another person in a parking lot and they got into the water and drove away the previous vehicles stuck in the flood waters.
On the Olympic Peninsula, several highways were closed in places and the US Coast Guard helped local officials evacuate people west of Forks, Washington. The agency said on Twitter that around 10 people were in danger and no casualties were reported.
State troops said a semitrailer truck rammed into strong winds on the Deception Pass bridge and leaned on a railing on Monday. According to the state patrol, the driver managed to escape.
Emergency officials warned that people should expect to see water in low-lying areas and turn rather than drive through water on the road. That water can move faster and get deeper than it seems, posing a serious threat to people in vehicles.
Forecasters say conditions should improve by Tuesday after more than 6 inches (15 cm) of rain fell in parts of the region over the past several days.
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