Residents in the US Pacific Northwest and Canada are preparing to evacuate as severe floods hit the region. The US National Weather Service has warned of catastrophic flooding in Oregon and Washington, especially along the Skagit and Snohomish rivers. In Canada, major highways to Vancouver are closed due to flooding and debris. Evacuation orders affect thousands, with Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declaring a statewide emergency and warning that up to 100,000 people might need to leave their homes. Skagit County ordered an immediate evacuation for about 75,000 residents living on the floodplain, said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department's Emergency Management Division. Snohomish County rescues used helicopters overnight to save multiple trapped residents in Sultan, Washington. The Skykomish River reached nearly 24 feet, close to a record level, causing serious flooding there and along the Snohomish River. King and Snohomish counties are dealing with multiple road closures, with more expected. Pierce County's swiftwater team rescued three people from an RV park in Orting. In British Columbia, Canada, evacuation orders are active in Tulameen, Eastgate, and Abbotsford, where 371 properties were evacuated as the Nooksack River threatens to overflow. Officials expect floods to be less severe than in 2021 but still serious. All major highways to the Lower Mainland and the US-Canada Sumas Border crossing are closed. The flooding comes from an atmospheric river, a weather event that carries intense moisture in sky rivers, causing heavy rain over swollen rivers. Rainfall should ease by Thursday afternoon, but river levels remain high. Another storm may hit on Sunday.