Some Pacific, WA residents return home after evacuating from White River flooding

200 homes impacted by flooding in Pacific, WA

Up to 200 homes were potentially impacted by flooding after a levee for the White River was breached early Tuesday morning, prompting urgent evacuation orders and a large emergency response.

PACIFIC, Wash. - Areas of the city of Pacific were still blocked Tuesday night after neighborhoods were flooded due to a levee breach. 

What they're saying:

Residents tell FOX 13 they woke up to alarms, sirens and announcements over a loudspeaker at around 2:30 a.m., telling them to leave the area after water started rushing into neighborhoods.

Authorities also went door-to-door, telling people to flee.

"We woke up to the helicopter at 2:30 in the morning circling our backyard with a ‘Go Now,’" said Gable Cramer, a resident who evacuated due to flooding.

Gable took video of the chaos in the neighborhood early Tuesday morning. He says the cold water rushed into the neighborhoods under the cover of darkness.

When he realized what was happening, he gabbed his three daughters, all ages 9-years-old and under, and left for his dad's house in Puyallup.

"We had to pack them up and pack our two dogs up and get out of town," said Gable.

More than 200 homes were potentially impacted by the flooding, as video taken from above shows just how devastating the levee breach has been.

As a helicopter crew monitored the situation from above Tuesday, crews got to work, repairing the break in the levee, using large bags sometimes called "super sacs" to stop the water.

"One truck had 135,000 lbs of sand on it, which blew my mind," said Gable.

Video shows the same spot on the levee after workers had patched up the breach with those bags and other materials.

What's next:

Tuesday night, King County had warnings posted for the White River, stating that high river water levels will occur along the temporary flood protection barriers in Pacific and Auburn, and overtopping flow may occur at Government Canal, Butte Avenue and Pacific City Park.

"Both trucks are backed in and ready to go," said Gable.

Residents say it's a tragedy that this devastation hit just before the holidays.

Cramer says he's thankful his house sits on a hill, so he was able to return home Tuesday night.

"We are prepared and cautious but optimistic, and we will go from there," said Gable.

He still has his GO! bags packed inside his house, just in case.

MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE

New WA laws in 2026 include higher wages, luxury car tax, plastic bag fee hike

Person dead after driving car onto flooded roadway in Snohomish

Snoqualmie ski resort offering season pass rollover for late year start

'Muddy mess': Pierce County RV park residents continue flood clean-up

Wild Waves Theme Park to shut down in 2026

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.