CATHLAMET, Wash. -- Flooding and fear that the Coweeman River may breach the dike led south Kelso to be evacuated Wednesday.

"I've never seen it this high … there's not much you can do about it," said Terry Kinney, who lives in Kelso. "There's a whole bunch of people in trouble, not just us."

While most residents were taking the flooding in stride, they were forced to find their most important belongings and load their car to head for higher ground.

"I'm too old to worry about it really," said Edna Elliot, another Kelso resident. "It's just not something you worry about."

Kelso police advised neighbors of potential flooding. County officials believe nearly 5,000 people are affected by the evacuations.

Many other areas of Cowlitz County were also dealing with heavy flooding and landslides. In Castle Rock, a man had to be rescued off the top of his truck.

Read: Cowlitz County Sheriff Blog | County Leaders Using Blog To Keep Residents Informed

Officials also declared a state of emergency in Wahkiakum County Wednesday morning because of flooding.

The Grays River and Elochoman Valley River were above flood stage, causing Wahkiakum County officials to issue the alert at 8 a.m.

Flooding was expected to get even worse throughout Wednesday and wasn't expected to go down until Thursday afternoon or Friday.

Wahkiakum County personnel and volunteer firefighters were responding to calls and were planning to continue to do so throughout the event.

The Sheriff's office helped evacuate two families from the Elochoman and Foster Road area. Many others evacuated prior to the flooding.

The Elochoman grade was open to emergency vehicles and local residents only and identification was required to use the grade.

Emergency flood routes in Grays River weren't accessible and won't be opened due to downed trees and snow.

Deputies announced a list of closed roads:

Covered Bridge Road

Intersection of Fairview and Loop Rd.

Elochoman Valley Road

Risk Road

Foster Road

Covered Bridge Road

Barr Road

Altoona/Pillar Rock Road

Deputies also said water was covering some roadways:

Middle Valley Road at milepost 0.5

East Valley Rd. at mp 2.5

West Valley Road

SR4 at mp 17, at Seal River, and at Deep River

Ingalls Road

Officials encouraged residents to evacuate flood areas as long as they could do so safely and said anyone who couldn't evacuate safely should find some place to take shelter.

A family drove home on Elochoman Valley Road and just a few hours later had to use a boat to transport their children out of the flood-choked area.

"Our house is pretty safe right now. We've got about four or five more feet. In the last two years we've had pretty major points, and this is topping it," Sam Longtain said.

Sheriff's deputies were posted at high water points but said they've only had to evacuate two people. They said most people with health concerns evacuated when they were asked although it wasn't mandatory.

At State Highway 4 workers turned away cars that didn't have high enough clearance.

"The little cars we don't want them to try to get through there. They'll be stalled out and we'll be in danger trying to get them pulled out of there before somebody gets hurt," WSDOT worker Terry Herndon said.

The Red Cross established a shelter at the fire hall in Cathlamet.

Officials also asked residents to only call 911 to report life-and-death emergencies.

Drinking Water Issues

Western Wahkiakum Water System customers in the Grays River area were asked to conserve water by Wahkiakum Public Utility District No. 1.

Updated information is available on the county emergency information line at 360-795-3911.

Wahkiakum County In State Of Emergency