See it: First responders rescue Washington man from roof of SUV, amid historic flooding

KING COUNTY, Wash. — Dramatic video released by the King County Sheriff's Office successful Washington shows a antheral being airlifted to information this week aft being trapped connected the extortion of his SUV, surrounded by floodwaters.

This was 1 of galore aerial and swiftwater rescues that took spot crossed the occidental portion of the state. Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a State of Emergency Wednesday aft rivers roseate to historical levels arsenic a almighty atmospheric stream delivered much than a foot-and-a-half of rainfall to immoderate locales implicit the people of respective days.

WHAT IS AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER?

A idiosyncratic stops to seizure cellphone images arsenic flood waters from the Snohomish River screen a information of State Route 9 successful Snohomish, Washington, connected December 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of radical were nether evacuation orders Thursday successful occidental North America, aft days of dense rainfall forced rivers to burst their banks. Storms person battered Washington authorities successful the US and British Columbia implicit the Canadian borderline for respective days, with rivers continuing to rise. 

((Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)

The King County, Washington Sheriff's Office said 1 of their officers utilized a drone to driblet a lifejacket to a antheral trapped connected the extortion of his SUV by historical flooding on the Snoqualmie River. The antheral was aboriginal airlifted to information by a chopper unit from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

STATE OF EMERGENCY: WASHINGTON GOVERNOR URGES CAUTION AMID HISTORIC FLOODING ACROSS THE STATE

Dozens of section and authorities roads and portions of Interstate highways person been closed to flooding arsenic rivers and creeks overflow their banks. 

The Snoqualmie River astatine Carnation, Washington, successful King County crested astatine astir 59 inches Thursday, conscionable a mates of inches shy of the river's grounds height.

First responders crossed the region evacuated radical by aerial and by vessel and shelters person been opened crossed the region for the displaced.

Flood Warnings stay successful spot crossed parts of King County done Saturday morning.