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Couple evacuates from Sun River home as flooding concerns rise

Posted at 3:51 PM, May 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-12 17:51:06-04

Lisa Fox and her boyfriend watched her belongings get packed into several trucks and trailers.

“Devastated," she said. "It’s sad."

Piece by piece, volunteers worked to empty out her 108-year-old home on Sun River Cascade Road in Sun River.

“If it could talk, boy would it have a lot to say. It’s a neat house,” said Fox.

With the water level changing in a matter of minutes, they had to act quickly.

“It’s kind of sad to know that it could be underwater,” said Meghan Huffman, Fox’s daughter. “We didn’t think it was going to hit this quick so it’s crazy.”

This is the first time she’s been evacuated in the six years she’s lived in the home.

“It’s going to be very tough,” said Fox. “I hope and pray that the water doesn’t reach all the way in, but I got a really bad feeling that it’s going to go in.”

And while she’s expecting the worst, Fox is remaining optimistic.

“I can look at it two ways. I can look at it as a complete tragedy or I can look at this as a silver lining because when I come back, we can make it better. We can do this better.”

She’s humbled by the outpouring of love from the community.

“These guys are awesome. I can’t even begin to tell you how much appreciative we are for this.”

On Saturday morning, the flood stage was only at 7.4 feet, but it’s forecasted to rise to 8.4 feet by tomorrow morning.

Dozens of volunteers also helped fill sandbags at the Sun River’s Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church and the Vaughn Fire Department.

Over five tons of sand were delivered and dumped into 40-pound bags.

The bags were passed out to community members in need.


Details from the NWS about the Flood Watch for the Sun River:

The Flood Watch will be in effect from Friday evening through Monday afternoon.

At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, the water level was at 4.7 feet; flood stage is 7.5 feet.

Forecast…Minor Flooding above 7.5 feet and below 7.9 feet may be reached at Friday evening and continue into Monday.

Impacts: At 7.5 feet, river out of banks and across highway at Sun River (town). Water over Fairfield Road. River within banks at Simms and Fort Shaw. About two dozen homes in Sun River (town) become isolated.

At 8.0 feet, water starting to cover Hwy 200 between 1st St and 2nd ST. River well out of banks W, N and E of town and filling old oxbows near town and Hwy 200.