Rivers in Washington close to record heights as residents call floods ‘devastating’ and officials issue emergency alerts

Residents of the Pacific north-west are preparing for a round of heavy rain on Wednesday after an atmospheric river of moisture smacked the region a day earlier with rains that triggered mudslides and washed out roads and submerged vehicles.

In Washington, rain over the state’s watersheds and mountains are causing rising rivers that could imperil homes, livestock and lives in valleys from Mount Rainier to Mount Baker, the Seattle Times reported. Rivers, including the Carbon, Cedar, Elwha and Snohomish are forecast to rise close to record heights.