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Tuesday, Dec 16, 2025
Outside the box.
Urgent Evacuations Issued in Seattle Suburbs After Levee Breach Amid Historic Western Washington Flooding
Residents of Kent, Auburn and Tukwila ordered to leave immediately as heavy rains breach the Desimone Levee and flash flood warnings threaten tens of thousands
A critical section of the Desimone Levee along the Green River in King County, south of Seattle, failed on Monday following a week of intense rainfall, triggering urgent evacuation orders for parts of three suburbs and prompting widespread flash flood warnings.
The breach, caused by prolonged heavy rain that has driven rivers across western Washington to dangerous levels, prompted the King County Office of Emergency Management to issue a “Go Now” evacuation order for residents and businesses east of the Green River in Kent, Auburn and Tukwila.
The National Weather Service warned that life-threatening flooding could follow as floodwaters move beyond the compromised levee.
Officials said the evacuation order initially covered nearly forty-seven thousand people in the region as part of broader flooding impacts, although the designated targeted evacuation zone was later refined.
Residents were advised to seek higher ground immediately and to heed local emergency instructions.
Emergency management teams and law enforcement are assisting with evacuation logistics and monitoring rapidly changing conditions as crews work to stabilise the levee with sandbags and other barriers.
The levee breach is part of an extraordinary sequence of atmospheric river storms that have dumped excessive rainfall across the Pacific Northwest, saturating soil, swelling rivers and setting record or near-record water levels in multiple basins.
Authorities have already declared a statewide emergency, with additional evacuations having occurred in other flood-prone areas across western Washington in recent days as rivers overtopped banks and forced residents from their homes.
Governor Bob Ferguson activated the Washington National Guard to support flood response operations, including evacuations, sandbagging efforts, traffic control and water rescues.
Emergency responders cautioned that conditions remain highly volatile.
Continued rainfall and high river stages could expand the areas at risk of flooding, and access routes may deteriorate quickly as water levels change.
Local shelters have been opened to assist displaced residents, and officials emphasised the importance of following official guidance to ensure public safety in the face of ongoing severe weather and hydrological threats.
The breach, caused by prolonged heavy rain that has driven rivers across western Washington to dangerous levels, prompted the King County Office of Emergency Management to issue a “Go Now” evacuation order for residents and businesses east of the Green River in Kent, Auburn and Tukwila.
The National Weather Service warned that life-threatening flooding could follow as floodwaters move beyond the compromised levee.
Officials said the evacuation order initially covered nearly forty-seven thousand people in the region as part of broader flooding impacts, although the designated targeted evacuation zone was later refined.
Residents were advised to seek higher ground immediately and to heed local emergency instructions.
Emergency management teams and law enforcement are assisting with evacuation logistics and monitoring rapidly changing conditions as crews work to stabilise the levee with sandbags and other barriers.
The levee breach is part of an extraordinary sequence of atmospheric river storms that have dumped excessive rainfall across the Pacific Northwest, saturating soil, swelling rivers and setting record or near-record water levels in multiple basins.
Authorities have already declared a statewide emergency, with additional evacuations having occurred in other flood-prone areas across western Washington in recent days as rivers overtopped banks and forced residents from their homes.
Governor Bob Ferguson activated the Washington National Guard to support flood response operations, including evacuations, sandbagging efforts, traffic control and water rescues.
Emergency responders cautioned that conditions remain highly volatile.
Continued rainfall and high river stages could expand the areas at risk of flooding, and access routes may deteriorate quickly as water levels change.
Local shelters have been opened to assist displaced residents, and officials emphasised the importance of following official guidance to ensure public safety in the face of ongoing severe weather and hydrological threats.
