DIABLO, Wash. — After record rainfall over the last few days, a rockslide outside the Diablo Dam Powerhouse has damaged part of the facility, according to Seattle City Light.
The nearby community of Diablo where many employees live did not have to be evacuated, according to the power company. The powerhouse building was evacuated and turbines were shut down to prevent the spillage of any water through the powerhouse.
The company used a backup generator to continue providing power.
The slide slammed into the back corner of the facility during heavy rains on Wednesday afternoon. A City Light spokesperson said the only damage was to a door and a drain, and employees were not at risk. One person reached out to KING 5, saying two of his friends who work at City Light were almost hit by rocks.
Landslide at Diablo Dam
Even from across the valley, KING 5 cameras showed where debris had fallen from the near-vertical mountain wall which is right behind the powerhouse.
Diablo is one of three dams that are part of the century-old Skagit power project deep in the Cascade Mountains in Whatcom County. City Light did activate its emergency management system, but not its Emergency Operations Center in downtown Seattle the utility said.