Levee Breach Forces Evacuations in Tukwila Amid Flooding Crisis

Tue Dec 16 2025 22:58:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Heavy rains lead to a levee failure in Tukwila, Washington, prompting emergency evacuations for over a thousand residents. Crews are working to reinforce the structure as flood warnings remain in effect.

In Tukwila, Washington, crews have reinforced a levee alongside the Green River following its partial failure due to recent heavy rains. Emergency management has ordered evacuations for approximately 1,100 residents as flood risks persist. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings, which have been adjusted as the situation develops.

TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — Crews are scrambling to shore up a levee in Tukwila, south of Seattle, after a portion of it failed following a week of relentless rainfall. The breach has led to the evacuation of approximately 1,100 homes and businesses in Kent, Renton, and Tukwila, as officials work to manage the flood risk.

King County's emergency management director, Brendan McCluskey, reported that while no injuries have been reported, officials are taking the situation seriously, urging residents to heed the evacuation order.

The failure prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning initially affecting around 47,000 people, which was later narrowed to approximately 7,000 as officials assessed the flooding's extent. Authorities noted that flooding was primarily isolated to industrial areas, with no immediate threat to residential neighborhoods.

Despite the levee breach, which followed severe weather conditions across western Washington, emergency crews are actively managing the situation. Crews are placing sandbags to stabilize the levee and control the breach as precautionary measures continue.