Puyallup River flooding forces evacuations in Orting, Puyallup
Dec 11, 2025, 8:16 PM
Floodwaters from the Puyallup River forced the evacuation of the Crossroads at Meridian apartment complex in Puyallup Thursday. (Courtesy Puyallup Police Department)
(Courtesy Puyallup Police Department)
Flood waters from the Puyallup River continue to force residents from their homes in Orting and Puyallup.
Residents at the Crossroads at Meridian apartment complex in downtown Puyallup got the order to evacuate Thursday afternoon.
Clayton has a unit on the first floor.
“We got the cat, we got the PlayStation up, we got the computer up,” he said. “I’m just worried that our furniture and stuff might be kind of washed away.”
UPDATE: Due to flooding from the Puyallup River, we are issuing a Level 3 Evacuation Notice (GO Now Notice) to all residents of the Crossroads at Meridian apartment complex, located at 1027 N Meridian. Residents of this apartment complex must evacuate. Puyallup PD is on scene to… pic.twitter.com/AuHwaE36g6
— Puyallup Police (@PuyallupPD) December 11, 2025
Nearby, the Puyallup River has turned into a downtown attraction, with pedestrians strolling under the North Meridian Bridge marveling at the sheer spectacle.
Flooding threat continues to loom over Orting
Even as it reached 12 feet above flood stage, people in Orting knew another threat still loomed.
According to Mayor Josh Penner, record flows on both the Puyallup and Carbon rivers led to the overtopping of a levee at the downstream part of the city.
Penner said the Carbon presents the city with a unique challenge.
“We’re kind of stuck in that the best source of data we have is just [to] see what’s happening in the moment,” Penner said. “We don’t really have a lot of predictive intelligence on that river, unfortunately.”
Dozens of homes were under evacuation orders Thursday, Penner said.
The Puyallup River has been forcing evacuations this week. Drivers are dealing with standing water, and homeowners are doing what they can to shore up their property. pic.twitter.com/AiAHFb7Ugj
— KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM🎙 (@KIRONewsradio) December 12, 2025
Simple sump pumps were no match for the power of the Puyallup River, according to Orting resident Tamara McAdams.
“We had three sump pumps, and they just couldn’t keep up,” she told KIRO Newsradio Thursday. “So, we went and got a giant 4-inch pump and it’s been OK since we got that one working.”
