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Coast Guard crews rescue trapped people in Lewis County

05:44 PM PST on Thursday, January 8, 2009

By DAVID KROUGH, kgw.com Staff

Raw: Lewis River gushes over dam

CENTRALIA, Wash. -- Coast Guard helicopter crews headed to the scenes of several stranded people Thursday in Lewis County.

County authorities said choppers from Coast guard station Astoria and Northern California were attempting to rescue at least 20 people from four different homes in the towns of Morton and Randle as floodwaters began to crest. More: Storm recedes

Coast Guard officials told the Columbian two people in Morton were taken to safety as they sat in a boat in a covered horse stable.

Interstate 5 remained closed around Chehalis as county commissioners decided to close several more roads, including Salzer Valley, Centralia Alpha, Coal Creek, and South Scheuber Roads until I-5 reopened. More: I-5 closure details

Commissioners said more than 100 people were at Red Cross shelters in the area.

The LDS Church on Jackson Highway was also set up as an emergency facility for the elderly with medical emergencies, and children with a nurse on site.

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