SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Around 2,100 residents of Pacific town, 32 kilometers south of Seattle, were under a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order on Tuesday following flooding caused by a levee failure along the White River in the U.S. state of Washington, authorities said.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday confirmed a storm-related fatality. A man was found in a submerged car after driving past warning signs into floodwaters near Snohomish and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said at a press conference Tuesday that Highway 2 will remain closed for "months" as the state begins repairing damage caused by more than a week of intense atmospheric river conditions and flooding.
The Washington State Department of Transportation said multiple road sections across western Washington remain closed, leading to significant traffic disruptions.
Several sections of road are "damaged and washed out, so the roads are not there any longer," said state Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith.
The National Weather Service warned that a series of incoming storm systems is expected to bring heavy rain, mountain snow and strong winds to northwestern Washington in the coming days. ■