Approximately 30,000 people had to leave their homes in western Washington state as the rivers in that region have swollen threatening the human settlings. The high water level caused mudslides and avalanches to “invade” neighborhoods and roadways.

The unprecedented flooding left authorities with no other alternative but to close a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 5 around Chehalis. Three other important routes which link the east with the west have been closed in the Cascade Mountains due to avalanches and mod slides.

Local authorities in Puyallup, near Tacoma, are currently directing the evacuation of thousands of residents who are threatened by the Puyallup River, which will reach 31.53 feet mid-morning on Thursday according to the estimations made by the National Weather Service.

The NWS issued flood warnings for about 12 rivers in Washington.

Authorities said they will try to reopen one main east-west route tomorrow. The route that will be reopened will most likely be Interstate 90 across Snoqualmie Pass, said Transportation Department spokeswoman Alice Fiman.

Fire trucks were sent to Orting, southeast of Tacoma, to alert the residents through loudspeakers and urge them to leave the area which threatened by the Puyallup River. The people of Orting have been working together to put sand bags around many downtown homes and businesses.

Several series of reverse 911 calls were made by the Puyallup Office of Emergency Management in order to advise residents to evacuate the area and give them directions.

Mayor Bill Baarsma declared the state civil of emergency in Tacoma, home to about 200,000 people, because the increasing threat posed by the rising Puyallup River to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.