Washington floods: Dozens rescued while stranded in homes, vehicles

Ryan Nguyen, The Seattle Times on Dec 11, 2025

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SEATTLE — Rescue crews saved dozens of people Thursday as historic flooding and heavy rains swept through Western Washington.

Those living near the Snohomish and Skagit rivers face the brunt of record flooding described as potentially “catastrophic” by the National Weather Service.

“This situation is dynamic and dangerous,” Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 Chief Don Waller said in an email to The Seattle Times. “The situation can rapidly change from what was previously experienced to something much worse without notice.”

Skagit County officials told everyone living within the Skagit River’s 100-year flood plain to evacuate to high ground immediately. Across Washington, about 100,000 people are expected to evacuate, Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office said Wednesday afternoon.

Rescue efforts in eastern King County

Eastside Fire & Rescue crews have saved about 20 people trapped in homes or vehicles over the past two days, spokesperson Catherine Imbolden said.

Most of those rescue efforts happened in Snoqualmie and North Bend, though the department also saved two people from a Whidbey Island home via helicopter. Meanwhile, Carnation and Duvall are completely surrounded by floodwaters and are now essentially islands, Imbolden said.

A video posted by Eastside Fire & Rescue captured a suspenseful helicopter rescue Wednesday in Fall City. As a helicopter hovers above the swift waters of the Snoqualmie River, rescuers use a long rope to slowly pull up one of two people trapped by the floodwaters.

Eastside Fire & Rescue covers Sammamish, Issaquah, Carnation, Woodinville and other areas.

Snohomish County

Dozens of people in Snohomish County were rescued Thursday as the Snohomish River rose to its highest water level in decades.

Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue officials said it had saved 26 people since 8 a.m. Thursday, while Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 said it rescued 25 people so far.

Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 rescue crews used an inflatable kayak to evacuate five adults, a child, three dogs and three cats from flooded homes early Thursday morning, KIRO reported.

Waller said in an email to The Times that most of his department’s rescues have involved people trapped in their homes, particularly those who believed they could “weather out the storm.”

“Then the event becomes worse than their previous experiences, or lasts longer, and it is too late to evacuate because of the dangers involved,” wrote Waller, adding that he recommends people to evacuate proactively.

Waller also said the department has rescued people from cars who attempted to drive through flooded streets but became stranded.

The Snohomish River reached a preliminary 33.57 feet early Thursday morning.

Throughout Western Washington

Rescue crews also saved an 87-year-old woman, her caregiver and her cat Wednesday, according to a Facebook post from the Kittitas County sheriff. Floodwaters from the Yakima River had surrounded her home, near Easton.

On Monday and Tuesday, crews throughout Western Washington rescued at least 17 people, along with several dogs and cats.

Avoid closed roads, driving through water

Authorities warned the public to avoid closed roads and to not drive through floodwaters, no matter how shallow they appear to be. Eastside Fire & Rescue said crews saved several people who had attempted to do so.

“The water is moving, there is debris, and we urge you to stay home,” the agency posted on X.