At least 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as historic flooding hit Washington state. Areas across the state saw between 13 and 16 inches of rain, causing four major rivers to break their record flood levels between Thursday and Friday. Vehicles were underwater, homes were submerged, and people were being rescued by boat and helicopter.
CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reported from Burlington, where the entire city was ordered to evacuate. Officials were still working to move people out. The flooding surprised residents because it happened at a time when the rivers had already crested and were beginning to come down. The problem, Evans explained, is that water from the still-high rivers flows back into local streams, tributaries and neighborhood waterways, causing continued flooding even though the main rivers are receding.
In Mount Vernon, floodwalls along the Skagit River held and prevented a community from flooding. Last night, water approached and in places reached the top of the flood barrier, squirting through the sides, but the barrier held and kept that community dry. Local crews and emergency responders continued evacuations and rescues as they worked to move residents to safety.