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Date:
October 22, 2003 USE CAUTION WHEN RETURNING TO FLOODED HOMES The Skagit County Health Department advises residents to take precautions to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy when returning to flooded homes. They should also remain alert to possible changing conditions until the flood emergency is declared over. Recommended health and safety precautions are posted on the Skagit County website, www.skagitcounty.net and are available from the Skagit County Health Department at 336-9380, and are in the attachment to this News Release. The South Fork Bridge over the Skagit River is now open. Officials from the Clear Lake Fire Department and Skagit County Public Works are monitoring Clear Lake, which has risen slightly due to backflow from the Nookachamps Basin. They are prepared to do limited sandbagging if necessary. Displaced residents are asked to not return to areas evacuated until officially given the OK to do so. The evacuation of Hamilton and Fir Island is still in effect. Skagit County officials are asking homeowners and businesses that received flood damage to call the Skagit County Public Works Department at 360 336-9400. It is important that all citizens who received damage identify themselves and get on a list so that they can be contacted in the future if disaster assistance becomes available. The Skagit River at Mount Vernon is continuing to recede from the 36.2 feet crest registered late Tuesday night. The reading at 6:00 PM today was 32.14 feet. The Skagit crested at 42.2 feet at Concrete at 6:45 AM Tuesday. At 6:00 PM today the Skagit at Concrete was at 30.47 feet. Flood stage at both locations is 28 feet. The latest statement from the National Weather Service forecasts the Skagit River to remain near or just above flood stage at both Concrete and Mount Vernon today and most of tomorrow. The Skagit is expected to drop below flood stage at both locations by this weekend. Additional news releases will be issued as new information warrants. For updated Skagit River information call 419-3425, visit www.skagitcounty.net on the web or listen to local radio stations. |