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Rain Eases But Leaves Flooding, Evacuations, Devastation

Posted: 6:15 pm PST November 12, 2008Updated: 11:18 am PST November 13, 2008

Rain is easing and conditions are expected to be mostly dry for the weekend, but flood warnings remain in effect for several rivers and three counties have declared a state of emergency following a storm that caused widespread flooding.

LIVESTREAM: Chopper 7 Over Flood Damage

Here are the latest developments across Western Washington:

King County:

  • King County has issued a phase 3 flood alert for the Green River, where a planned water release by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from a flood control dam is expected to keep stream flows elevated this morning.

  • King County officials say 26 roads are closed in eastern King County because of flooding on the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers. Get the latest road closure information

    VIDEO BACKSTORY: Monitoring Rise Of Snoqualmie River
    VIDEO: Residents Move Quickly As Snoqualmie Rises

    Snohomish County:

  • Cleanup is starting along the Skykomish River. There are still voluntary evacuations in Sultan and Gold Bar where the water rose quickly and surrounded homes. Volunteers stockpiled sandbags throughout the afternoon to protect their belongings from the floodwaters.

  • Rescuers had to bring in an inflatable kyak and a wheelchair to get to a man who was having a medical emergency in Monroe where roads were flooded.

  • In the town of Snohomish, waters continue to rise and about 30 roads remained closed because of water on the roadways.

    Pierce County:

  • Highway 410 about 15 miles east of Enumclaw was reopened Thursday morning after broken trees, dirt and mud came crashing down on the highway Wednesday evening.

  • Officials said the Puyallup River receded overnight.

    VIDEO: Orting Residents Told To Evacuate

    In southwest Washington, a small dam failed and caused minor flooding in Cosmopolis.

    The dam at Mill Creek Park in the town about 40 miles west of Olympia collapsed after it was weakened by a falling tree, town officials said. Some streets and nearby houses were flooded with several inches of water. A contractor was hired to repair the dam.

    Mount Rainier National Park was closed after the main access route, Nisqually Road, was covered with more than 6 inches of floodwater from Kautz Creek in the southwest corner of the park. Rangers used a service road to help evacuate seven guests from the National Park Inn at Longmire on Tuesday night.

    The state Department of Transportation closed the Green River Bridge between Enumclaw and Black Diamond after geotechnical experts detected small movements in the soil holding up the bridge.

    The park was closed for months in the fall of 2006 because of flood damage from storms that dumped nearly 18 inches of rain in 36 hours.

    Barns at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, east of Everett, were opened as temporary stables for horses, cows and other livestock that had been moved out of floodwaters.

    East of Monroe, in Sultan, Don Marshall borrowed a friend's red kayak and paddled around some flooded houses by the U.S. Highway 2 bridge near the confluence of the Sultan and Skykomish rivers. Sandbags were placed around some downtown businesses, and a stream of residents and business owners filled sandbags from a pile of sand on Main Street.

    5-Day Forecast

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    Sam Argier
    Sam Argier is the Weekend Meteorologist for KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.
    Meteorologist Profile

    Want coastal Doppler? Let the government know! Send a letter to Senator Cantwell expressing your support and requesting funding.

    Weather To Expect
    After a sunny and warm Independence Day weekend, we are seeing a dramatic shift in the weather this week. Temperatures are dropping like a rock with highs only in the mid 60s around Western Washington today. The skies will stay mostly cloudy with showers increasing into the afternoon around Puget Sound.

    The cool, cloudy, and wet weather pattern will hold through the work week. Showers become more widespread Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures holding in the mid 60s. Fewer showers on Thursday and Friday with temperatures climbing back up into the low 70s.

    3 - Day Forecast
    Mon
    Chance of Rain
    65
    Tue
    Chance of Rain
    63
    Wed
    Chance of Rain
    68
    Seattle Metropolitan Area
    Want coastal Doppler? Let the government know! Send a letter to Senator Cantwell expressing your support and requesting funding.

    Weather To Expect
    After a sunny and warm Independence Day weekend, we are seeing a dramatic shift in the weather this week. Temperatures are dropping like a rock with highs only in the mid 60s around Western Washington today. The skies will stay mostly cloudy with showers increasing into the afternoon around Puget Sound.

    The cool, cloudy, and wet weather pattern will hold through the work week. Showers become more widespread Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures holding in the mid 60s. Fewer showers on Thursday and Friday with temperatures climbing back up into the low 70s.