Whatcom town’s recovery from last fall’s flooding to be profiled by FOX Weather special
FOX Weather will profile Sumas’ recovery from last fall’s tragic flooding of the Nooksack River in an online streaming news special feature set to debut Friday and stream several times this weekend.
The Whatcom County town will be profiled in “FOX Weather Reports: American Stories,” available for streaming at noon and 7 p.m. Friday, June 24, on the FOX Weather app or at FOXWeather.com, according to a news release. The special will repeat at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26.
For the special, FOX Weather’s Robert Ray spoke to Sumas residents who are rebuilding the community and discovering challenges they still face after the rain stopped and floodwaters receded, according to the release.
“Sumas is such an important community, rich in agriculture, rail commerce and family pride,” Ray told The Bellingham Herald in an emailed statement about the special. “The natural beauty surrounding the border town is just the icing on the cake.
“Covering the devastating flood last autumn, I was immediately taken by the perseverance of the people in the shadows of the natural disaster. Sumas is strong and will make a comeback that America needs to witness.”
Sumas, along with several other Whatcom County communities, individuals and businesses, suffered severe flood damage last November after a series of soaking storms forced the Nooksack River to over run its banks and flow through a large portion of northern Whatcom County and into British Columbia. Floodwaters displaced many residents from their homes in the area, and one person was swept away and died.
Early damage estimates at the time came in at $50 million, including estimates of $15 to $20 million in damage to houses in the area, tens of millions of dollars in damage to public infrastructure and another $15 to $20 million in damage to area business centers.
In addition to visiting Sumas for the special, Ray also traveled to Louisiana to see the aftermath from Hurricane Ida, Mayfield, Kentucky, following December’s deadly tornadoes and the Sequoia National Forest in California following devastating wildfires, according to the release.
The FOX Weather streaming service launched in October, according to foxnews.com.
