Gov. Ferguson, WA senators tour Mount Vernon’s flood wall after atmospheric river
WA officials tour Mount Vernon as flood wall protects downtown during historic flooding
Gov. Bob Ferguson and Sen. Patty Murray visited Mount Vernon on Saturday to see firsthand how the city’s floodwall safeguarded more than 200 downtown buildings during this week’s historic flooding.
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - Thousands evacuated, homes destroyed, and damage scattered across western Washington. It has been a heartbreaking and grueling week for so many.
On Saturday, Governor Bob Ferguson, Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell met with Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan to visit one of the areas hit by the historic floods and to see firsthand how the flood wall there held up.
Donovan addressed the media, describing this past week as a week of contrasts. For example, he said the weather on Saturday is a contrast from the weather that brought record flooding.
"What a contrast this feeling of a little bit of relief is compared to the anxiety a lot of us were feeling Tuesday night when we got those early river predictions," Donovan said.
Mount Vernon's flood wall
He added, there was also a contrast in how flood preparations were in the past, compared to now, and it’s all thanks to the flood wall in Mount Vernon.
"The wall behind us has changed everything," Donovan said.
He explained to media that the wall protected 225 buildings downtown and lifted them out of FEMA’s 100-year flood plain. "Downtown Mount Vernon stayed dry this week, but more importantly, downtown residents were saved again," he said.
Saturday’s tour and seeing the wall up close was a moment of significance for Sen. Murray, who championed the initial study for the wall and found the funding for the project, according to Donovan.
Murray described how she was in knee-deep water during a horrific flood in the same area 20 years ago. "To now come back and know the businesses I saw, business owners with tears in their eyes because they lost so much merchandise that they had to recover are now safe and that the investment in this wall really made a difference in this community," Murray said. She went on to say it’s a good example that preventive infrastructure makes a difference.
The concern isn’t over though, and the wall will continue to be tested as more rain is on the way.
Washington rescues in flood waters
As of Saturday morning, there have been 250 emergency rescues across the state, according to Gov. Ferguson. There had also been no reports of any significant injuries.
"I think our prayers have certainly been answered. I think so far remarkably so, I just have to say that right now we have no reports of deaths that have come into the state," Gov. Ferguson said.
He extended his deep appreciation to all the first responders and said he will do everything in his power to be there for those who face challenging days ahead, as well as for our state.
"The coming weeks will be tremendously stressful for so many Washingtonians, that’s putting it mildly, you’ve seen the videos, homes literally floating down the river, I don’t have words for an individual who is going through or a family who is going through that and that’s just one of thousands of situations," Gov. Ferguson said.
"As great as this sunny day is that some of the hardest times are coming," Murray said.
Gov. Ferguson visits Mount Vernon flood wall amid statewide flooding response
Gov. Bob Ferguson and state officials toured Mount Vernon’s floodwall on Saturday before briefing the media on Washington’s ongoing flood response and coordination with federal authorities.
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