Floods swamp Washington state

Washington State, USA
Image: Residents react as they view floodwaters Wednesday in Gold Bar, Wash. Heavy rains caused the nearby Skyomish River to flood, forcing residents from their homes. By Ted S. Warren, AP

A small dam failed and caused minor flooding in Cosmopolis as heavy rain resulted in flood warnings Wednesday along rivers across western Washington. The dam at Mill Creek Park in the town about 40 miles west of Olympia collapsed after it was weakened by a falling tree. Some streets and nearby houses were flooded with several inches of water. Elsewhere in the state, about 200 residents were encouraged to evacuate from areas along the Carbon River near Orting, southeast of Tacoma. About 5 to 7 inches of rain had fallen in the 24 hours ending at 11 a.m. Wednesday, and another four to six hours of moderate to heavy rain appeared likely. Previous rains this month saturated the soil in most areas west of the Cascade Range, raising the risk of rock and mud slides.

Image: Youngster rides a bike through floodwaters of the Snoqualmie River covering a nearby road Wednesday, in Snoqualmie, Wash. Flood warnings have been posted across western Washington due to heavy rains.