Thurston County lifts evacuation advisory after Nisqually River flood waters recede
Thurston County emergency management officials lifted the evacuation advisory for the Nisqually delta on Sunday morning.
“Flood waters have receded over the past two days and most residents can now access their homes,” the county announced in a news release.
Volunteers with the county disaster assistance response team will be providing information packets to residents affected by the flood.
The packet includes information on how to safely re-enter homes, as well as tips on cleaning up, disease prevention, food and water safety, septic system information and how to hire a contractor or remodeler.
Serious flooding began Thursday afternoon, when Tacoma Power increased its release of water from the upriver dam into the Nisqually River, prompting Thurston County Emergency Management to urge evacuation for some residents in the Nisqually Valley. The utility said the increased flow from the dam was necessary to keep the reservoir from overtopping the dam.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s department knocked on 400 doors. Approximately 700-1,000 people were affected by the evacuations.
Sunny and dry weather is expected across the region Monday and into Tuesday.
Resources
- Residents can continue to monitor river levels at: www.thurstoncountywa.gov/em/pages/rivers-graphs.aspx.
- To receive critical countywide messages, sign-up at: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/em/Pages/ei-alert.aspx.
- For more information on preparedness and having a grab and go kit, visit: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/em/Pages/prep-personal.aspx.
This story was originally published February 9, 2020 at 12:01 PM.
