Joselyn Rosas, 7, hugs her mother Norma Rosas as they look at the flooded Three Rivers Mobile Home Park where they live along the Snohomish River in Monroe, Wash., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP)
Thousands of families have been left without a roof over their heads after more than 2,600 homes were inundated or badly damaged in the record flooding in Washington state.
Moved to save money for cancer treatment
One such family is that of Jose Rosas in the city of Monroe in Snohomish County, Washington.
Jose Rosas told CBS News that the family moved to a mobile park home two months ago after his wife, Norma, was diagnosed with cancer.
According to Rosas, the family was hoping to save some money for her cancer treatment by moving to the mobile park.
Water from the Skagit River flood a park in Mount Vernon, Washington. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
“Now, it’s gone,” he told CBS News.
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His daughter, 7-year-old Jocelyn Rosas, choked back tears as she realized the devastation.
“The only clothes I got is just my pajamas,” she said.
They were planning to stay with family for at least a night while they figured out what’s next.
“We’re gonna restart all over and see what we could do,” said Rosas.
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100,000 people need to evacuate
According to The Associated Press, days of torrential rain have swelled rivers to record or near-record levels.
Partially inundated residences and portable toilets sit in floodwaters in Snohomish, Washington. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has warned that as many as 100,000 people would need to evacuate statewide.
Officials had warned that dikes and levees could fail and issued “go now” orders Wednesday to tens of thousands of residents in the flood plain of the Skagit River, including in the city of Burlington, home to nearly 10,000.
But by Friday morning, the muddy waters began overflowing a slough and rushing into homes, and officials’ pleas became more urgent.
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“ALL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BURLINGTON SHOULD EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY,” Skagit County wrote on social media.
A number of rivers surpassed their flood stages overnight, including the Skagit at the towns of Concrete and Mount Vernon. It crested at more than 11.2 meters at Mount Vernon, according to weather service data.
A n aerial view of a home and a barn surrounded by floodwaters in Snohomish, Washington. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Authorities across Washington state in recent days have rescued people from cars and homes after the weather phenomenon known as an atmospheric river soaked the region.
Climate change has been linked to some intense rainfall. Scientists say that without specific study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change, but in general it’s responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires. Another storm system is expected to bring more rain starting Sunday.
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Joselyn Rosas, 7, hugs her mother Norma Rosas as they look at the flooded Three Rivers Mobile Home Park where they live along the Snohomish River in Monroe, Wash., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) 
