SEATTLE — Seattle Public Utilities is assessing the Duwamish River ahead of another king tide anticipated later this month. The potential impact on the South Park community, which is still recovering from flooding, remains unknown.
The area near the Duwamish is residential and industrial and encompasses many different cultures who have lived in the area for generations. Residents say it isn't just material possessions but sentimental cultural items they've lost.
It’s a roaring sound that echoes throughout the South Park neighborhood. Generators that have been on for days. “We’ll have the generator run throughout the week to see how it goes from there,” said Reasmey Choun who goes by Meme. It's been a week since she opened her bedroom door to water gushing into the basement-level home she shares with her mom.
The water was from the Duwamish River after last week's king tide. Twenty-eight families have been impacted. Eleven are still staying in hotels.
Choun has lived in this basement-level home for 11 years. She had to climb out the kitchen window to get out. She said flooding from rain is common and they were prepared for that.
“Nobody knew about the river,” she said.
Seattle Public Utilities said they anticipated the river would flood over at some point. They just thought it would be decades from now.
“We didn’t expect it to happen this soon, we expected it to happen in 20 years. So we have been working with the Army Corps of Engineers studying some longer-term infrastructure solutions that would keep the Duwamish River in its banks,” said Keri Burchard-Juarez who is the Deputy Director at Seattle Public Utilities.
The City of Seattle had just installed new drainage improvement pipes on the street Choun lives on when the flooding happened.
“This is an environmental justice community down here in South Park. The Duwamish River is a Superfund Site. They are on the front lines of climate change,” said Burchard-Juarez.
The community is now focused on rebuilding.
“My mom was really cultured so she has a lot of valuable clothing and things that she’s kept throughout the years,” said Choun. Most of that is unsalvageable.
The family is now living in a hotel and may have to find additional housing if their home is still uninhabitable with help from Seattle Public Utilities and local nonprofits.
“We’ve lived here for 12 years, not only are they my neighbors, but they’re my family,” said Choun. She and her mother are surviving on donations from local nonprofits. She has a GoFundMe set up here.
Seattle Public Utilities said they are supplying cement blocks and sandbags ahead of the next King tide expected at the end of the month. They are also flying over the river this week during high tide to get a better understanding of what to expect and whether more action needs to be taken.