Western Washington is facing a “historic” flooding crisis that has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes and could displace thousands more Friday as rivers reach record levels.

There have been no reports of fatalities, but local authorities and first responders stressed the potentially lethal nature of the record-breaking flooding. Warnings remain in place for some parts of the state until Saturday morning.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said the Skagit River was expected to crest Friday morning, making the period through Friday night critical for residents and first responders.

He added that tens of thousands of Washingtonians could face orders or warnings on Friday as the flooding moves into more densely populated areas. As of Friday morning, 5 million people remain under flood w

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