The Brief
- Kent Mayor Dana Ralph criticized the National Weather Service for issuing a “flash flood” warning during a levee breach, claiming the terminology caused panic and traffic that delayed repair equipment.
- The city argued the broad alert was misleading for a slow-rising flood, while the NWS defended the warning as a necessary response to an imminent threat of rapid inundation.
- Both parties intend to review communication protocols to improve coordination and ensure emergency messaging accurately reflects conditions on the ground.
KENT, Wash. – As neighbors in Kent clean up from recent flooding, city leaders say a National Weather Service flood warning earlier this week did more harm than good during a levee breach.
It doesn’t take long to see that Kent has been hit hard by the recent flooding and wind. New rainfall only serves as insult to injury. Despite positive progress this week, it has been an emotional rollercoaster for neighbors and city leaders alike.
Kent Mayor Dana Ralph says NWS’s choice of words slowed down efforts to fix the problem.…