Evacuations ordered as Green River levee fails
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A "Go Now" evacuation was ordered after a Green River levee failed. Map: NWS Seattle/NOAA
King County emergency officials issued an urgent "Go Now" evacuation order Monday for some residents and businesses in Tukwila, Renton and Kent, after a breach in the Desimone Levee sent floodwaters into nearby neighborhoods.
Why it matters: Western Washington is still reeling after a series of atmospheric rivers unleashed widespread flooding, evacuations and landslides across the region last week.
- Heavy rain further saturated the ground early Monday with another atmospheric river expected to arrive Tuesday into Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Driving the news: The National Weather Service Seattle issued a flash flood warning around noon Monday after a levee on the east side of the Green River failed, allowing water to flood into the industrial area in Tukwila, NWS meteorologist Kirby Cook told Axios.
- As of 1pm, both directions of State Route 167 were closed over a six-mile stretch between S. 212th Street in Kent and 15th St. N.W. in Auburn due to rising water from the Green River, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
- Gov. Bob Ferguson said in an X post that the water was likely moving toward Interstate-405.
Threat level: 46,000 people, two schools and one hospital are in the potential danger zone, per NWS.
- The City of Tukwila said that while there is no current evacuation order for areas west of the Green River, residents and business should be ready just in case.
What they're saying: " Conditions are dangerous and access routes may be lost at any time," per King County Emergency Management.
Zoom in: King County said shelters have been opened for evacuees, including the Auburn Community and Event Center and the Ray of Hope Shelter in Auburn.
- The Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe is also available and open 24 hours, with pets allowed.
What we're watching: Emergency managers are monitoring conditions as crews work to assess the extent of the levee failure.
- No timeline has been given for when residents may be able to return.