Heavy rain brings flooding, landslides to Western Washington
Feb 1, 2020, 11:00 AM | Updated: Feb 3, 2020, 8:14 am
Landslide on I-5 near Bellingham Saturday morning. (Trooper H. Axtman)
(Trooper H. Axtman)
Widespread rain over the weekend has led to landslides and flooding across Western Washington, with more possibly to come early in the week.
The National Weather Service says the threat of landslides will decrease through early this week as soil dries out. Meanwhile, minor flooding is occurring at the Skokomish River at Potlach, the Snohomish near Monroe, the White River near Auburn, and the Whatcom River near the U.S./Canada border.
In response, the American Red Cross opened a flood evacuation shelter in the Marietta area, west of Bellingham, due to flooding from the Nooksack River. The shelter is at Cordata Presbyterian Church in Bellingham, located at 400 Meadowbrook Court. Residents forced to evacuate are encouraged to bring medication, extra clothing, blankets and anything else they may need for infants or small children.
Crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation also spent most of the day Saturday clearing a landslide from the northbound lanes of I-5 south of Bellingham. Lanes were reopened late Saturday.
The Washington State Patrol said the slide was about 60 feet wide and seven feet deep. No injuries were reported.
Our geotechnical engineer, w/the help of a drone, is working to assess the safety of the slope that slide blocking northbound I-5 near Lake Samish in #WhatcomCounty. NB traffic is being detoured off at Nulle Road. Be aware alt. routes are limited & aren't used to I-5 volumes. pic.twitter.com/GToBl8Txsy
— WSDOT North Traffic (@wsdot_north) February 1, 2020
Landslide is approximately 60’ wide, 7’ deep and still active. Rocks and debris continue to roll down the hill. No ETA to open. pic.twitter.com/b3YbIUU7im
— Trooper H. Axtman (@wspd7pio) February 1, 2020
We've got trees down, mud in the road, damaged guardrail & need to assess the stability of the slope. @wspd7pio is clearing stuck traffic but not letting additional through. NB I-5 is blocked. Consider delaying discretionary trips or expect delays. pic.twitter.com/foD6KGL8yS
— WSDOT North Traffic (@wsdot_north) February 1, 2020
The wind has died down across the region, but scattered power outages from Friday night remain. Check here for the latest updates:
Snohomish County PUD
Puget Sound Energy
Earlier predictions of snow over the weekend diminished, but forecasters say there is another chance mid-week.
KIRO 7 TV staff contributed to this report
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