SHOSHONE COUNTY, Idaho — Shoshone County officials declared a state of emergency Thursday as flooding along the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers forced evacuations and left residents scrambling to protect their properties.

The sheriff's office deployed off-duty patrol units, firefighters and other first responders to assist residents affected by the rising waters.

Around 3 p.m., the Shoshone County Sheriff's Office and Silver Valley Fire & Rescue evacuated families trapped inside their homes as floodwaters continued to rise. Since then, deputies and first responders have spent hours filling sandbags near the Bumble Bee Bridge to protect nearby houses and businesses.

The flooding has transformed familiar landscapes throughout the county. In the Kingston area along Interstate 90, water ha

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