'Déjà vu': Washington flooding hits some areas still rebuilding from 2021 storms

“Deja vu.” That was how John Perry, the mayor of Everson, Washington, described what it felt like to watch as flood waters from the Nooksack River began to inundate the streets, homes and businesses of his community for the second time in about four years.

SEATTLE — “Déjà vu.”

That was how John Perry, the mayor of Everson, Washington, described what it felt like to watch as floodwater from the Nooksack River began to inundate the streets, homes and businesses of his community for the second time in about four years.

Washington state is once again in the midst of getting hammered by torrential rains and swelling rivers. Communities that have barely recovered from the last major series of storms now face another long rebuilding process.

Everson had just recently finished remodeling City Hall. Now, it was underwater again.

“It’s pretty discouraging,” Perry said. “Our businesses downtown got hit really hard. We’re anticipating probably similar or more extensive damage than in ’21.”