Severe Flooding Prompts Mass Evacuations in Pacific Northwest

Thu Dec 11 2025 21:27:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An atmospheric river has led to catastrophic flooding in the Pacific Northwest, resulting in thousands of evacuation orders in both the United States and Canada.

Heavy rainfall from an atmospheric river has caused severe flooding across the Pacific Northwest, leading to evacuation orders for thousands of residents in Washington and Oregon, along with major disruptions in British Columbia. With continuing rain expected, authorities are urging caution as conditions worsen, particularly in low-lying areas.

Residents in the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada are bracing for what could be record-setting floods as an atmospheric river dumps heavy rain on already swollen rivers.

The US National Weather Service warns that catastrophic flooding is possible in the states of Oregon and Washington along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers.

In Canada, major highways to Vancouver have been closed because of flooding, debris, and the risk of avalanches.

There are evacuation orders in place for thousands of people in the US and Canada, and authorities have warned more rain is on the way on Thursday.

In the US, the governor of Washington state, Bob Ferguson, declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday, estimating that 100,000 residents could soon face evacuation orders.

The emergency declaration noted that continued rain and snow at mountain elevations would exacerbate flooding conditions, severely impacting supply chains and transportation.

Skagit County, a major agricultural area north of Seattle, has issued immediate evacuation orders for residents living on the floodplain.

Approximately 75,000 people are expected to evacuate from low-lying areas along the Skagit River, according to Robert Ezelle, the director of the Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division.

In British Columbia, evacuation orders are in place for communities including Tulameen and Eastgate, with Abbotsford ordering urgent evacuations for 371 properties.

This atmospheric river phenomenon carries water vapor that, upon cooling, results in heavy rainfall. While the heaviest rain is expected to lessen by Thursday afternoon, rivers are likely to continue rising as additional storms approach the region on Sunday.