Washington state governor declares emergency amid heavy rains and floods

Bob Ferguson says he has also activated the state's national guard to respond to the flooding

The governor of Washington, Bob Ferguson, declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday in response to heavy rain in the Pacific north-west state since an atmospheric river smacked the region a day earlier with rains that triggered mudslides and washed out roads and submerged vehicles.

The emergency declaration, Ferguson said, allows us to seek federal funds to cover the cost of this response, which we anticipate will be significant, and also gives us the flexibility we need to respond quickly to keep Washingtonians safe in a fast-moving situation".