Issaquah and surrounding communities continue to survey, repair flood damage

KING COUNTY, Wash. – People are still surveying the damage in and around Issaquah after flood waters forced evacuations and tore apart infrastructure.

Issaquah-Hobart Road will likely be closed through the weekend for repairs according to county road crews.

Multiple issues forced the road’s closure, including a pair of culvert failure that sent flood waters over the pavement.

“This is the worst I have seen it since I was a kid,” said neighbor Jennifer Fisher.

Fisher and her family live just beyond one of the road closures. They’ve lived through storms before, but this week’s deluge was different.

“A lot more water and a lot more rain on the hillside,” she said.

“It’s just water and dirt,” said fellow homeowner Stanton Bowmer-Vath. “It’s all good.”

Rushing runoff flowed across the street and directly into Bowmer-Vath’s property and home.

“At one point the entire carpet was floating four to six inches off the floor,” he said, walking through his damp finished basement.

He and his family spent years renovating the home but now they have to start over.

“Once it’s all dry find someone to get it all together,” he said.

Carl Vuong was trying to survey the damage to his home along Issaquah-Hobart Road, but he can’t get there.

“Basically, the whole road is blocked about a half mile down there,” he said.

Instead, Vuong can see his property inundated with flood water by accessing surveillance cameras on his cellphone. He’ll have to wait for crews to clear a path before he can put his own eyes on the damage.

“You kind of wonder what’s going on and what’s the damage,” he said. “You want to see some visual.”

In Issaquah, crews say they and volunteers were able to save all the baby fish at the hatchery from flood waters.

“We feel lucky because this is probably a little higher than what we saw in 2009,” said manager Darin Combs.

Issaquah Creek was still running high and fast. It may be a while before neighbors return to a normal routine.

“I used to live on the Mississippi,” said neighbor Jack Paulson. “I’m used to flooding but this is fantastic and remarkable.”

King County road crews say there are two clogged culverts that first must be cleared before repairs can be made. Issaquah-Hobart Road is expected to be closed through the weekend.