Levee Breach Near Seattle: Evacuations Ordered After Heavy Rains

Following a week of relentless heavy rains, a section of an earthen levee south of Seattle failed on Monday. The breach occurred along the Desimone levee beside the Green River, prompting emergency management to issue an evacuation order for approximately 1,100 homes and businesses. This affected parts of the suburbs Kent, Renton, and Tukwila, with initial flash flood warnings covering a significant population before being reduced.

Authorities reported that no injuries occurred and that the flooding was largely contained to industrial zones. Crews were already on-site performing maintenance and installing a "seepage blanket" due to concerns about the levee's saturation from prolonged high water levels. They were present when the failure happened, highlighting the stress on the aging infrastructure.

While the immediate breach was being managed with sandbags, officials cautioned that the situation remained dynamic. The Desimone levee has a history of damage, notably in 2020, with long-term repairs not expected until 2031. Previous significant repairs were undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2015 after a 2014 flood.