Sumas residents turn to repairs as as officials monitor flooding in Canada

In Sumas, up near the Canadian border where this week’s river of rain caused trains to derail and City Hall to flood, the damage to homes is worse than expected with an estimated 85% of residences damaged.

That’s up from the 75% estimated Tuesday, said Mayor Kyle Christensen, who, along with crews and volunteers, spent Wednesday assessing the situation and organizing clean-up efforts.

“We’re just starting to get a better idea of how bad it is,” he said, adding it appeared more than 300 homes were damaged in the town of 1,300 people.