More down-to-Earth

KOMO 4: King County: Be prepared for the flood

AUBURN, Wash. -- It's not a matter of whether it will flood, or when.

Yet despite the warnings about the Howard Hanson Dam, residents in King County aren't getting the message about how bad things might get.

The first signs of catastrophic failure at the dam appeared in the form of seepage back in January.

Since then, emergency efforts to save the dam left entire communities swamped. And King County officials say this winter may bring the worst. They want residents to be prepared in case the dam gives way.

County officials predict a 60-percent chance of flooding this winter. A swollen Green River would inundate parts of Auburn, Kent, Renton and Tukwila. Some 26,000 people could be evacuated.

Like I said, Mrs. Drang and I are high up enough we should not be flooded, per se, although we are all too likely to see trees down, and storm drains/sewers backed up.