Man found drowned in car after being ‘washed away’ in Pacific Northwest floods

An elderly Washington state man was found dead Saturday, a day after going missing amid major flooding in the Pacific Northwest.

The 72-year-old, of Cosmopolis, Washinton, is said to have gone out Friday morning to move his car to higher ground as floodwaters rose around his home. Based on Grays . Port Sheriff’s Office, Pratt’s wife called later to inform her that her husband had moved the car home. At the time, authorities considered him missing.

Tomorrow, as the floodwaters began to recede, Pratt and his car were found, apparently washed away. A tow truck was called in to help get the vehicle out of the remaining water. Inside, Pratt was found dead, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday he had drowned after the vehicle was submerged.

“Investigators believe the vehicle was swept out of the driveway by high-moving floodwaters and quickly submerged into deep water,” Deputy Secretary Brad Johansson wrote in an official statement. “Mr. Pratt’s family members have been informed of this tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Pratt’s family and friends.”

Law enforcement inaccessible Pratt’s home when the call from his wife first arrived on Friday, due to continued flooding in the area. Several family members were able to call on the local fire department to conduct an initial search in the area, but found nothing, leading to the theory that Pratt and his car had been taken. go after trying to pull out of the driveway.

Much of Washington state experienced sustained heavy rain over the weekend, closing many roads and highways, and leaving some areas at risk of landslides and avalanches. National Weather Service reported Saturday, the first week of January 2022 was the fifth wettest week on record for the Seattle area.

On Friday, the Government Jay Inslee issued an urgent declaration, according to the Associated Press, due to the consistently severe winter weather that Evergreen State has had to deal with since mid-December.

The aerial shot was taken in Chehalis, Washington — between Seattle and Portland, Oregon—shows the extent of the flood in the state on Friday, with many roads, homes and vehicles submerged. The situation became so dire that a 20-mile stretch of Interstate-5 south of Chehalis was closed. This comes after another stretch of highway, I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass, was closed Thursday due to avalanches and visibility concerns.