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Gov. Gregoire proclaims state of emergency for 17 Washington counties

For Immediate Release: January 12, 2011

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today proclaimed a state of emergency due to the severe winter storms that struck western and south central Washington counties, Dec. 8-18, 2010.

The governor�s action followed the conclusion of an initial round of damage assessments by local, state and federal officials in the affected counties. Her emergency proclamation covers Clallam, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, and Whatcom counties.

�We are trying to offer as much support as possible to families, businesses and communities as they continue to recover from this period of bad weather,� Gregoire said.

At various times over the 10-day period, wild weather produced snow, high winds, heavy precipitation that caused extensive flooding and saturated soils, landslides, avalanches and power outages. The affected counties all experienced some level of extensive damage to homes, businesses, highways, public utilities and other public infrastructure.

�Working with our local and federal partners, we�re doing a thorough job of estimating the overall damage,� said Jim Mullen, director of the Washington Emergency Management Division. �We�ll keep working to do everything we can to help communities put things back together.�