Silvana flooding affecting holiday plans

KING 5 Television, Seattle, Washington USA
23 November 2011

In Silvana Thursday night, the only sound was that of the fire department hovercraft with firefighters checking on those cut off by the flood waters.

Residents and businesses in the Snohomish County town of Silvana are flooded out. The main roads leading in and out of town are covered in water.

Silvana, Washington’s Fire District 19 patrols flooded areas in their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Facing flooded roads at every turn, Silvana Meats tells KING 5 they were forced to shut down on the day before Thanksgiving. Silvana Meats will reopen Thursday between 8-10 a.m. for those who were not able to pick up turkeys or ham.

"We were just patrolling to see if anybody needed anything to see how the water levels were and just checking stuff out," said Fire District 19 Firefighter Ashley Clifton.

And things are looking up in Silvana - no homes appear to be taking on water though some businesses have. Elsewhere getting around in a lot of spots in northern Snohomish County meant dealing with a lot of water over roadways.

For cash-strapped highway departments even a minor nuisance flood like this one can become a big headache. That's because on stretches of road where the water isn't just coming over it, it’s coming up through it undermining the asphalt, leading to expensive repairs.

In Silvana, the water is on the way down; firefighters expect to be able to stand down soon, hoping to be home on Thanksgiving.

"Yes, everyone should have a dry Thanksgiving tomorrow - besides the rain," said Clifton.

With some areas now facing the threat of high winds Thursday, it could be a long holiday for first responders.

See news video of the hovercraft in action