Severe Weather Wreaks Havoc in Washington State and Idaho

Wed Dec 17 2025 23:11:31 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

High winds and heavy rains have caused extensive damage in Washington and Idaho, injuring children and knocking out power for thousands.

Recent storms have resulted in winds up to 85 mph, leading to the injury of two children and power outages affecting over half a million residents in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Emergency services report a series of rescues, while governors warn of more severe weather conditions ahead.

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington and Idaho are grappling with the aftermath of severe weather that has flattened trees and power lines, severely injuring two children and leaving thousands without power due to high winds and record rainfall.

Wind gusts reached 85 miles per hour, impacting regions such as Pullman, Washington, and Moscow and Lewiston in Idaho early Wednesday. Over half a million power customers were reported out of service across Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

In southern Idaho, the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office indicated that old, decayed trees had fallen, knocking down power lines and resulting in the critical injuries of two children. Details about the incidents surrounding their injuries have yet to be released. The Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office warned that most roads in the county were blocked by fallen trees.

Residents in western Washington, already suffering from flooding, reported damage including blown transformers, downed trees, and roofing issues via social media.

Governor Bob Ferguson acknowledged the catastrophic extent of the damage and warned that more adverse weather, including high waters, mudslides, and power outages, could loom ahead.

As heavy rains have poured up to 2 feet in some areas of the Cascade Mountains, rivers have overflowed, leading to over 600 rescues across ten counties. Only one death has been reported so far, of a man who drove into a flooded area despite warning signs. With key highways now buried or washed out, communities remain at risk.

The governor stresses the importance of following evacuation orders and cautions that the recovery process may be long and arduous as floodwaters recede and damage is assessed. First responders have completed nearly 629 rescues and 572 assisted evacuations, with around 100,000 residents under evacuation orders at times.

Officials remain on high alert as river levels and flood risks persist into the month, and locations such as Pacific, south of Seattle, have implemented evacuations as levees breached.

Emergency services continue to mobilize, with local authorities asking the public for assistance in sandbagging efforts to create defenses against rising waters to safeguard residents' homes.