Opportunistic criminals are exploiting catastrophic flooding in Washington State, using kayaks to access and loot inundated homes while residents are forced to evacuate. The shocking acts of theft have left a community already reeling from natural disaster feeling doubly victimised.
Historic Rainfall Triggers Chaos and Tragedy
Unprecedented rainfall in rural areas near Seattle has created a scene of devastation. The deluge has claimed at least one life, after a vehicle became trapped in rising waters in the town of Snohomish overnight on Monday. Roads have transformed into rivers, bridges have been washed away, and the crisis prompted the evacuation of approximately 78,000 residents.
The Snohomish River surged nearly a foot higher than its previous record last Thursday, underscoring the scale of the event. Meteorologists warn that the misery is far from over, with further heavy rain forecast for Washington and the Pacific Northwest in the coming days.
Kayaks and Confrontations: The Brazen Looting Operation
Amid the chaos, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into reports of thieves targeting evacuated properties. The incidents are said to have occurred on Saturday afternoon in areas including Franklin Farms and Marsh Road.
One stranded resident, Reva Barnhart, broke down in tears describing how she saw people climbing onto her roof to scout the area. "People are coming from all over the area just to take advantage of these people who can't get to their properties right now, and it's just heartbreaking," she told local media.
Her husband, Michael Urick, provided more detail, stating, "They had kayaks out here, but they were taking stuff from trailers in boats with motors on them." According to Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Courtney O’Keefe, deputies initially intercepted five young men kayaking in the area and asked them to leave after neighbour concerns. However, the group returned later, yelling at neighbours and crossing beyond road closure signs.
The situation escalated when homeowners, who were boating to check on their properties, confronted the alleged thieves. The residents reported the individuals were armed with spray paint and had rope that appeared stolen from a nearby farm. "They confronted the suspects and one of them threw the rope into the owner’s boat and the group then left," O’Keefe said. The farm owners later found their crane vandalised with pink spray paint.
Widespread Damage and a Long Road to Recovery
The flooding has caused widespread infrastructural collapse across the state. Dozens of roads were inundated or completely washed out, with some having no detour or estimated reopening time. A mountainous section of US Highway 2 was closed by mud, rocks, and trees, while State Route 410 was blocked by standing water.
The storms also crippled power supplies, leaving 12,000 customers in Washington without electricity at the peak of the outages. In a show of interstate support, California Governor Gavin Newsom dispatched 150 fire and rescue crew members to assist Washington on Thursday night.
For residents like Michael Urick, the fear is ongoing. "The next storm that's coming through Monday through Thursday is probably going to take our house," he lamented. The community now faces the twin burdens of rebuilding from a natural disaster and dealing with the violation of criminal acts during their most vulnerable moment.
