Severe Flooding Prompts Evacuations in Pacific Northwest

Thu Dec 11 2025 22:03:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As an atmospheric river delivers unprecedented rainfall, thousands in the Pacific Northwest face emergency evacuations due to rising floodwaters and potential disasters.

In response to imminent catastrophic flooding from an atmospheric river, authorities in the US and Canada have issued evacuation orders for thousands. Regions of Washington and Oregon are particularly at risk, while parts of British Columbia are also affected. Emergency declarations warn of worsening conditions, urging residents to prepare for severe weather impacts and transportation disruptions.

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 warned that continued rain and snow at mountain elevations would exacerbate flooding conditions. Supply chains and transportation could be severely impacted, the declaration added.

Skagit County, a major agricultural area north of Seattle, has issued an immediate evacuation order to residents who live on the floodplain, affecting about 75,000 people.

Across the border in Canada's British Columbia, evacuation orders have been issued for communities including Tulameen and Eastgate, and several other areas.

The City of Abbotsford ordered urgent evacuations for 371 properties on Wednesday night.

The entire region, spanning parts of both the US and Canada, has received torrential rain from an atmospheric river—a phenomenon where water evaporates into the air, is carried by the wind, and forms long currents that surge through the sky like rivers flow on land.

The heaviest rainfall is expected to subside by Thursday afternoon, but the water will continue to surge into rivers. Another storm is expected to hit the region on Sunday.