Nearly 50K still have no power after Washington state storm

By LISA BAUMANN
Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Officials say about 50,000 electrical customers in Washington state still have no power after a storm that dumped rain for days caused floods and mudslides. Crews have managed Tuesday to partially reopen a cut off portion of the the West Coast’s main north-south highway near Bellingham, Washington following its complete closure overnight. The extreme weather was caused by an atmospheric river, a huge plume of moisture extending over the Pacific and into Washington and Oregon. About 158,000 electrical customers had no power on Monday. Interstate 5’s southbound lanes were reopened just south of the Canadian border, but northbound lanes are still closed.