Major Flooding, Road Closures In Issaquah, East King County

ISSAQUAH, WA — Heavy rains pummeled east King County Thursday, bringing major flooding to the Issaquah area and prompting the closure of several roads throughout the region. A Phase 4 flood warning was issued for Issaquah Creek, and city officials said it was likely Thursday's weather event would meet or exceed major flooding seen in Jan. 2009.

The creek crested Thursday night, but flooding concerns will continue in the area Friday. Two-hour school delays were announced for Friday morning in the Issaquah and Lake Washington school districts.

Related Coverage:

Many Roads Still Closed Friday As Rain Continues

River Flooding Continues With More Rain In The Forecast Friday

Local news reporters posted images and videos of cars underwater at an Issaquah apartment complex Thursday morning. Residents of the Creekside, Park Shore and Bayview apartment complexes were evacuated by Eastside Fire & Rescue crews Thursday afternoon. Firefighters said 11 residents were safely rescued, including several children and pets.

Early Thursday morning, a failed culvert brought debris onto Issaquah-Hobart Road, spilling rocks and soil from the hillside onto the roadway. King County road crews built a berm to help redirect water away from the road and nearby homes, but the closure was expected to be lengthy. A tree fell across State Route 18 Thursday night, hitting a car and blocking all eastbound lanes near Issaquah-Hobart. All lanes reopened shortly before 11 p.m.

Road Closures In Issaquah

• Both directions of Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast were closed at Southeast May Valley Road. King County Road Services said the road could remain closed into Friday.
• Newport Way Southwest is closed from Front Street South to Wildwood Boulevard Southwest.
• Newport Way Northwest is closed from Northwest Oakcrest Drive to State Route 900, due to a tree on the roadway.
• State Route 900 is closed from Northwest Talus Drive to Southeast May Valley Road.
• Water over Sycamore Drive Southeast, near the Issaquah Creek Bridge, has limited access to the Sycamore neighborhood.

Dozens of other flood-related road closures were in place across east King County Thursday afternoon, from just east of Woodinville down to North Bend. In Carnation and Duvall, King County Road Services said the only roads remaining open to access both cities were Woodinville-Duvall Road, Redmond-Fall City Road, and Interstate 90.

King County officials said flooding along the Cedar River would continue to impact residents from Renton to Landsburg, and travelers should plan for water over arterial roadways. Flooding was expected to cut off several neighborhoods throughout the valley.

In Duvall, city leaders asked residents to limit water use after the water treatment plant was pushed to capacity by rain.

Find live updates on all King County road closures here.

King County Executive Dow Constantine signed an emergency proclamation Thursday, allowing county agencies the resources to speed up response times and make necessary repairs. The local announcement comes one day after the governor's office declared a state of emergency over the storms in 19 Washington counties.

Free sandbags are available in cities throughout King County, including Issaquah, North Bend, Carnation and Duvall.

According to the National Weather Service, heavy rain will continue through early Friday, continuing the potential for further flooding and increased landslide risks. Another wet system is expected Friday night into Saturday. NWS Seattle said a long-awaited dry period is expected to begin Sunday and should continue into early next week.

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Monitor the latest river forecasts via the National Weather Service.