Lynette Brooks snapped this photo of Centralia College Boulevard just before noon today.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Despite the flooded streets in Centralia, the fire department has answered only aid calls today, except for helping with one evacuation this morning.
“We assisted some folks, who had trouble getting out of their home, because of the high water,” Riverside Fire Authority Capt. Scott Weinert said. “We drove in and helped them out, and a couple of animals, I believe.”
That was on the 600 block of North Gold Street around 8 a.m.
China Creek which runs through town overflowed its banks in numerous places, and has been the primary problem today, according to the city of Centralia. Many flooded streets were closed.
The water level seemed to be going down near the Pearl Street Fire station, Weinert said this afternoon.
“And it’s not raining now, so that’s a good sign,” Weinert said.
At Centralia City Hall, water came up through the floor, through cracks in the concrete, earlier today, according to city emergency center spokesperson detective Patty Finch.
“It’s all cleaned up, no damage, just wet carpet,” Finch said this afternoon.
The flood warning on the Skookumchuck River has been lifted, and the river is going down, Finch said.
Finch said she’s heard of some businesses downtown that got water inside, including perhaps Bethel Church she thought. Mostly in between Tower Avenue and Pearl Street, and Hanson and Magnolia streets, she said.
The Red Cross notified Finch they were called by someone who had water in their home, a basement apartment off Magnolia Street, she said.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center is closing down at 5 p.m. and there are no current plans to reopen it, Finch said.
Finch offers this message: Citizens within the city of Centralia can call and report any water damage to homes and businesses to the city’s Community Development Department tomorrow by calling (360) 330-7662.
Paperwork for water damage can be completed over the telephone; if this incident is later determined to be a eligible for benefits, Finch states.
The Skookumchuck and the Chehalis Rivers meet up in Centralia.
A flood warning remains in effect for the Chehalis River at Centralia through tomorrow evening, according to the National Weather Service. Minor flooding is predicted for Chehalis and on downstream to Grays Harbor.
At Centralia, the river is expected to crest near 67 feet about 1 a.m. and fall below flood stage about 4 a.m., the weather service states.
“At 65 feet, the Chehalis River in Lewis County will cause shallow flooding of farm lands and some roads,” the forecasters note. “Roads include Airport Road, Florida Avenue in Chehalis and Military Road in Centralia.”
Monitor the changing conditions for yourself, using links always available on the right-hand sidebar of this news site under “Other useful web links. Direct from the National Weather Service.
• “River levels“: Graphs show you what level your river has been at, where it’s at right now and where it is projected to be.
• “Weather alerts, forecasts“: Click on the map to find your current and forecast temperature and other weather information, as well as alerts for hazardous weather conditions.
• Also, quickly and easily get information directly from others in the community by viewing or joining Lewis County Sirens on Facebook.
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For more, read, “Centralia officials warn motorists about standing water” from Monday January 5, 2015, here
Water across North Pearl Street begins to recede about noon. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I have the video of that rescue on my page.