Governor seeks federal aid for Washington state flood damage

By LISA BAUMANN
Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — With floodwaters receding in parts of Washington state damage assessments are beginning and Gov. Jay Inslee is promising he’ll aggressively seek federal money. The governor said some 500 homes had damage from the storms after visiting Whatcom County on Wednesday. Inslee has scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon, where storm and flood issues will likely be discussed. He said damage figures will be compiled in a bid for federal assistance. The Pacific Northwest was hit with days of continuous rain and wind that only eased earlier this week. More rain fell in Bellingham from Saturday through Monday than normally falls there during all of November, about 5.57 inches.