BURLINGTON, Wash. (KFSN) — People in the Pacific Northwest have been left standing in water.
An atmospheric river has swept through the area, leaving parts of Washington state and Oregon flooded.
In Burlington, Washington, neighbors are stepping up to help.
“We never realized this was going to happen. I mean, they gave us all the warnings. We’ve been through floods but we’ve never experienced this,” one resident says.
ABC News is reporting parts of Washington could see upwards of eight inches of rain through Thursday.
As the Pacific Northwest braces for more rainfall, one Central Valley woman is already on the ground helping those in need.
Fresno resident Deborah Blaze has been on 17 different deployments with the American Red Cross Central Valley chapter.
Blaze is bringing her experience to the Pacific Northwest and is managing a shelter for those in need of a safe place.
“Basically, we’re here to alleviate human suffering in any way possible. We bend over backwards to help people,” she says.
The shelter Blaze is managing has been open for a couple of days. She says they’re assisting about 60 people in the shelter as of Sunday.
The retired registered nurse says she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else this holiday season. “Each one of us wearing this uniform will help them and take care of them. They need to know that. Actually the country needs to know that, that’s what we do. That’s all we do is just help.”
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