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Washington State’s Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday due to widespread flooding across the state.
The Skagit River is at critical levels, with about 100,000 people expected to be displaced from the 100-year flood plain, Ferguson said.
Flooding has affected communities both north and south of Seattle, with some people needing to be rescued.
Central Pierce Fire and Rescue said in a social media post that they have performed more than 25 rescues so far.
Ferguson said he has already activated the National Guard.
“I have declared a statewide emergency, and I will be requesting an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government today,” Ferguson said.
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“We need the federal government to grant that request. This situation is extremely serious. The next few days are critical. I want to encourage all Washingtonians to listen carefully to alerts from your county and emergency management departments.”
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Waters from a rising and muddy Issaquah Creek flood a parking lot of an evacuated apartment building near downtown Issaquah, Wash., on Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle).
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Ferguson said he also had an emergency call with FEMA to request an expedited emergency declaration from the federal government.
There are numerous flooded roads across the state, along with many road closures.
Officials say the next test will be to see if the work that has been done on the levees will withstand all the water coming through.
“What we have seen in actuality is it came through right at about the record flood level,” Robert Ell with the Washington State Emergency Management Division said.
“That doesn’t mean to say that we’re out of the woods — we’re not — because as the waters come down here, they’re still going to be gaining strength and as they hit the Burlington Mount Vernon area, we’re still expecting to see about two feet higher than record flood level. It’s going to be most likely worse than you experienced back in 2021.”
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The situation is being called dangerous and unpredictable.
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