Northwest Storm: ‘Devastating’ flood damage near border

By LISA BAUMANN
Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Officials in a small city near the Canada border are calling the damage devastating after a storm that dumped rain for days caused flooding and mudslides. City officials in Sumas, Washington said Tuesday that hundreds of people had been evacuated and estimated that 75% of homes had water damage. Just over the border, residents in about 1,100 rural homes in Abbotsford, British Columbia were told to evacuate as waterways started to rise quickly. Officials said about 50,000 electrical customers in Washington remained without power. Crews partially reopened the West Coast’s main north-south highway near Bellingham following its complete closure overnight. The extreme weather was caused by an atmospheric river.