Interstate 5 was closed Monday afternoon and by this morning was under as much as 10 feet of water. The freeway could remain locked down until Thursday, officials say. As of this morning, only a twisting, hilly route from Centralia-Alpha Road to Seminary Hill connected Chehalis and Centralia.
The Chehalis River was expected to crest this morning at 10 a.m. in Centralia about a foot above the record February 1996 flood levels. The water inundated much of the Twin Cities, from Chehalis through the Miracle Mile to Centralia.
The slow-moving crest of Chehalis River flooding is moving downstream toward Grand Mound, where dive teams and boats were staging this morning in the Moon Road area of Southwest Thurston County, with three rescues already conducted as of about 9 a.m., according to the Thurston County Sheriffs Office.
Widespread Inundation
Floodwater reportedly overtopped, broke or circumvented an earthen dike at the Newaukum River at Exit 72 in Napavine Monday morning, reportedly sending four feet of water into the area around Burger King, McDonalds and the Bethel Church of the Assemblies of God and flooding the Rush Road underpass.
Water also overtopped the Long Road dike, flooding much of South Centralia.
Several bridges have been washed out between Adna and Pe Ell, including the vehicle bridge into Rainbow Falls State Park, the Meskill bridge between River Road and Leudinghouse Road at Dryad, as well as the bridge at Chandler Road near Highway 6.
The Rainbow Falls bridge is no longer there. Its completely wiped out, Lewis County Emergency Operations Center Public Information Officer Matt Wallace said at 3:15 p.m. Monday from the countys emergency operations center at the Lewis County Law and Justice Center in Chehalis.
Amtrak service was also suspended through Western Washington, and a freight train was reported to be stalled near Chehalis on tracks surrounded by floodwaters Monday.
The town of Pe Ell faces a water shortage because a water transmission line was destroyed when a bridge washed out. The pumping station for the communitys back-up water source was not accessible because of high water. The 1,300 people served by the towns water system were being told to conserve water because of the limited amount of drinkable water in the towns reservoir. The town of Ryderwood was without water this morning because of a broken water main in the system serving 450 people.
Medical Issues
There were no confirmed deaths from the floodwaters, but a Winlock man was reported missing Monday after trying to repair a sump pump under his home.
At least a half-dozen people suffering from hypothermia were bought to Providence Centralia Hospital as of this morning.
Weve airlifted several elderly people overnight who were in water inside their homes wet, said Lewis County Sheriffs Office det. Sgt. Stacy Brown.
Rumors were swirling as well, including a false report by the Associated Press of two fatalities in Chehalis. The AP corrected its report to say the two deaths were actually in Grays Harbor County.
Everyone weve been told about weve been able to make contact with or maintain contact with until weve gotten them out, Wallace said.
Get Out
Evacuations were requested in most of the Boistfort, Pe Ell and Doty areas in the upper Chehalis River Monday, and part of South Centralia this morning.
In East Lewis County, evacuations were also ordered Monday at High Valley 6 in Packwood and in low-lying roads along the Cowlitz River between Packwood and Randle, including Cline Road and Bennett Road.
The Cowlitz River in Randle crested below flood stage this morning.
Rescues
As of Monday, from 50 to 70 people had been rescued, many plucked from rooftops and transported to temporary shelters in schools from Pe Ell to Adna.
In Centralia, approximately 30 patients have been evacuated from the Guest Only Care Center on South Tower Avenue and Tiffin House near Centralia High School. Also, residents of Evergreen Centralia Health and Rehabilitation on Long Road were evacuated. Those too ill to go to shelters were transported to Olympia, according to Centralia Fire Capt. Scott Snyder.
Chehalis Firefighter Jay Birley wasnt certain of nursing homes being evacuated in Chehalis.
Calls for service were constant until about 1:30 a.m. today in Chehalis, and then slowed, Birley said.
Firefighters used boats to pick people from the roofs of at least two cars in the Wal-Mart parking lot about 9 p.m. on Monday.
For more information on the flooding in the Twin Cities, check chronline.com throughout the day for updates.
Brian Mittge, assistant editor of The Chronicle, welcomes comments and news tips via bmittge@chronline.com or 360-807-8234.
Sharyn L. Decker covers law enforcement, local fire departments and the courts for The Chronicle. She may be reached by e-mail at sdecker@chronline.com, or by telephoning 807-8235.
