Authorities in Washington state have issued evacuation orders following breaches in levees along the Green and White Rivers, affecting communities in King County. On Monday, a segment of the Desimone levee near the Green River gave way after extensive rainfall, prompting evacuations in parts of Kent, Renton, and Tukwila. About 1,100 homes and businesses east of the Green River were told to leave as crews quickly worked to reinforce the levee with sandbags. By Monday evening, officials declared the area safe and lifted the evacuation order, reporting no injuries. However, the situation escalated rapidly on Tuesday when a levee breach near the White River in the city of Pacific, approximately 20 miles south of Seattle, led police to urgently instruct residents to evacuate immediately. The National Weather Service responded with a flash flood warning for the region, emphasizing the ongoing risk from the breaches. These events followed several days of heavy rain that inundated western Washington, causing widespread flooding, mass evacuations, and numerous rescue operations. Despite localized flooding in industrial zones of Renton and Tukwila, no residential evacuations were required there beyond the areas near the breached levees. Emergency management officials continue to monitor the situation closely as recovery and repair efforts proceed.
