Southern King County floods: Green River levee breach prompts emergency, officials issue evacuation orders
The Desimone Levee breached along the Green River in Tukwila, Washington, a suburb south of Seattle, according to the King County emergency services.
Southern King County floods: Residents and businesses in the King County region on Monday were asked to evacuate following a levee breach in Washington state sent floodwaters into several neighborhoods.
King County officials issued an emergency "Go Now" evacuation order for several local people and businesses in Tukwila, Renton and Kent as floodwaters entered the area.
“This is for residents and businesses east of the green river in the Orillia area in Tukwila, Renton and Kent. Due to breach in the Desimone Levee, this area is under a GO NOW evacuation notice. Leave immediately if you are in this area,” the National Weather Service said.
The Desimone Levee breached along the Green River in Tukwila, Washington, a suburb south of Seattle, according to the King County emergency services.
The southern King County floods warning was sounded after days of heavy rains in the Washington state, which have led to disruptions in daily life.
Over the last week, Western Washington saw a series of atmospheric rivers unleashed widespread flooding, leading to evacuations and landslides in the area.
Repairs underway
Authorities said on Monday that repairs were underway to fix the breached portion. King County's director of emergency management Brendan McCluskey told the Seattle Times that repairs could take several hours. He further said that officials were closely monitoring the Desimone Levee in Tukwila along the Green River, about five miles south of downtown Seattle, where a car-sized chunk of the levee was washed away by floodwaters.
Visuals from the area showed officials dropping large sand bags using heavy equipment to fill the gap so that it does not grow anymore.
National Weather Service sounds flood warning
The National Weather Service said its flood warning related to the levee failure would remain in effect until at least 9 pm local time.
The NWS Seattle regional office posted that the conditions were dangerous in the area.
“Conditions are dangerous and access routes may be lost at any time. Go north or south of evacuated area away from flooding waters. Do not drive or walk through standing or moving water. Turn around, don’t drown. Do not drive around barricades or road closures,” it said.
According to an Axios report quoting NWS meteorologist Kirby Cook, the weather agency issued a flash flood warning around noon on Monday following a breach at the the east side of the Green River causing floodwater to enter the industrial region of Tukwila.
The Washington National Guard said that it was sending Guard members to King County. The Guard has already been helping flood-impacted residents in the western part of the state over the weekend.