Second levee fails in Washington, forcing more evacuations, as atmospheric river renews flood threat

CNN A second levee failed just outside of Seattle in western Washington as rivers once again surge from more atmospheric river-fueled rain Precautionary evacuations were ordered for around people in Pacific Washington Tuesday morning due to the levee breach along the White River King County emergency management reported CNN The river hit major flood stage the largest part severe level Monday morning but has since fallen The National Weather Organization issued a flash flood warning for part of the city located nearly miles south of Seattle It disclosed fences called HESCOs were failing along the river and leaking water Crews were en path with sand to mitigate the area King County crisis management noted This follows a breach on the Desimone levee near the city of Tukwila along the Green River early Monday afternoon just east of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in western Washington The levee is meant to reduce flood risks to more than people in Tukwila Kent and Renton A flash flood warning was issued for more than people in the affected area As of Monday evening crews had contained the flood threat along the Green River and completed a temporary repair to the levee The National Weather Amenity canceled the flash flood warning just after p m local time Last week crews installed an crisis flood fighting measure called a seepage blanket to help stabilize the fundamental levee according to the King County Department of Natural Materials The Green River near Tukwila has risen about feet over the past week because of multiple rounds of torrential rainfall from an earlier atmospheric river When the levee breached the river s water level was just under feet higher than it s been in the past years Days of heavy rain and historic flooding from last week s atmospheric river has left soil soaked and rivers swollen across western Washington Now chosen already-swollen rivers are rising again All of Skagit County located within the -year floodplain is under an evacuation warning on Tuesday with the Skagit River forecast to surge back to major flood stage in the coming days The same area was ordered to evacuate last week after the river hit record high levels Specific areas are also at liability of landslides given the incredibly soggy soil Evacuation orders and warnings are in place Tuesday for portions of the town of Concrete also in Skagit County due to landslides More rain is coming Monday s storm drenched parts of Washington Oregon and far northwestern California yet again A second colder atmospheric river will bring periods of additional rain on late Tuesday through Wednesday keeping rivers elevated and slowing recovery from last week s flooding It will also usher in stronger winds that could down trees and power lines A third storm is likely to hit the region Thursday More rain wind and high elevation snow is likely from the Pacific Northwest to Northern California through the end of the week