Communities in western Washington state are bracing for possible levee failures after unprecedented rainfall and widespread flooding have left rivers swollen well above flood stage, prompting massive evacuations and emergency action across the region.

Days of torrential rain driven by a persistent atmospheric river have pushed the Skagit, Snohomish and other rivers to levels not seen in decades, inundating homes, farmland and critical infrastructure.

The National Weather Service warned that the intense water pressure could overwhelm flood control systems, leading to sudden embankment breaches that would greatly worsen inundation already affecting thousands.

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Officials ordered the entire town of Burlington, with a population of about nine thousand, to evacuate as the Skagit River crested near thirty-eight feet — far above major flood stage — in Mount Vernon downstream, intensifying fears over the stability of local levees.

The broader Skagit flood plain, home to roughly seventy-eight thousand residents north of Seattle, was placed under a Level 3 evacuation notice urging immediate relocation to higher ground, with more than one hundred thousand people statewide under evacuation advisories.

National Guard troops and sheriff’s deputies conducted door-to-door notifications, at times using inflatable rafts to assist those trapped by the rising water.

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Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and requested federal assistance, which President Donald Trump approved to expedite aid for evacuation support, debris removal and shelter operations.

Emergency teams have responded in multiple counties, including Snohomish, King and Lewis, where communities such as Randle have seen rivers like the Cowlitz crest well above flood stage, submerging roads and triggering additional evacuations.

Transportation infrastructure suffered significant disruption, with dozens of roads, highways and sections of the BNSF Railway shut down by floodwaters and landslides.

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While rainfall temporarily eased, forecasters cautioned that another atmospheric river could deliver additional downpours, renewing the threat of further flooding, mudslides and levee stress.

Local emergency managers underscored the unpredictability of the rapidly changing situation, urging residents to remain vigilant and adhere to evacuation orders.

National Weather Service forecasts show multiple rivers still expected to reach major flood stage, maintaining the risk of severe impacts to communities throughout the Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest region.

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