Levee Breach in Pacific, Washington, Causes Widespread Flooding and Displacement
A devastating levee breach occurred in Pacific, Washington, on December 16, resulting in the displacement of over 600 people and affecting more than 200 homes. The breach, which happened around 1:35 am PST, was caused by a single HESCO barrier blocker failure that quickly turned into a multi-unit failure, triggering a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation status for many Pacific residents.
A levee breach occurred around 1:35 am PST on Dec. 16, and went on to displace over 600 people after more than 200 homes were affected by the widespread flooding, City of Pacific Mayor Vic Kave said.
Emergency Response and Evacuations
Emergency crews, including the Pacific Police Department and Valley Regional Fire Authority, went door-to-door in the affected area to evacuate residents, with some officers wading through waist-deep water. The Kings County Sheriff’s Office also dispatched an aerial team to relay evacuation commands from a helicopter above. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as neighboring towns, aided in the immediate recovery process, which is ongoing.
PACIFIC, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 16: In an aerial view, a neighborhood is engulfed in floodwater on December 16, 2025 in Pacific, Washington. Evacuations have been ordered in 3 suburbs south of Seattle after recent levee failure. Atmospheric rivers are expected to continue in the coming days as northern Washington continues reeling back from historic flooding late last week. Mass flooding along the Pacific Northwest caused historic flooding, tens of thousands of evacuations, and dozens of Coast Guard rescues.
((Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Ongoing Recovery Efforts and Forecast
An evacuation order for Pacific is still in place, and numerous roads in the city remain closed. Emergency crews have fortified the damaged levee area with “super sacks” carrying about a yard of sand. According to Governor Bob Ferguson, the flooding in Washington state has been “one of the most devastating disasters in our state’s history,” with at least 629 rescues made across the state as of Monday night.
FOX Weather Meteorologist Steve Bender is joined by FOX 13 Seattle Meteorologist Claire Anderson to analyze another active threat in Washington just after an historic flood event swamped the state last week.
Flood Watches have been issued across Washington and Oregon, including the Seattle area, through at least Thursday, with high winds knocking out power to over half a million households across the region. For more information on the flooding in Pacific, Washington, and the ongoing recovery efforts, visit Here
Image Source: www.foxweather.com
