Evacuation warnings in place for Sumner; flooding expected during early-morning hours
Update: The Sumner Police Department issued a Level 3 evacuation notice for Rainier Manor Thursday afternoon, according to a department Facebook post.
Residents of Rainier Manor Mobile Home Park should evacuate immediately, the post read. The YMCA is available as a day use shelter and law enforcement are en route to knock on doors and help with evacuation.
There are several leaks in the levee and authorities do not know how long it will take to get sand bags to the location, a previous post read. They also are uncertain if the levee will hold where the leaks are.
Evacuations from South Prairie, road closures and vehicle accidents forced town traffic to gridlock, according to the post.
Original Article: Sumner residents are bracing for an influx of flooding from the Puyallup and White Rivers.
Carmen Palmer, spokesperson for the City of Sumner, told The News Tribune that the Army Corp of Engineers is going to release water from the Mud Mountain Dam in the White River during the early hours of the morning.
“[They are] going to start record-level releases on the White River starting at about 1 a.m. – that should hit us at about 5 a.m.,” Palmer told The News Tribune.
She said the Puyallup River is expected to crest at a fairly high level at about 10 a.m. In a Facebook post, the Sumner Police Department said it is expected to be three feet higher than Monday’s levels.
“If that level holds, water will be at the top of the levee, and we don’t know if it will go over or not,” the post said.
The city has put houses and neighborhoods near the Puyallup River – such as Rainier Manor, Riverwalk Condos and The Retreat Apartments – under a Level 2 Evacuation Warning, meaning they should have their bags packed and be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
“That means put your bags in your car,” Palmer said. “We just don’t know how these are all going to play out, especially since they will play out during the early morning hours when it’s still dark, but we shall see.”
People who live near the White River are currently under a Level 1 Evacuation Warning, meaning they should be prepared to evacuate and start packing their bags.
“Residents in those structures next to the river are in Level 1 Evacuation, which means you should prepare to evacuate in case,” the post said. “You can always evacuate before we recommend it. Collect medication, essential needs and pets.”
The following roads are closed, according to the city’s website:
- The Stewart Road Bridge is closed.
- Houston Road is closed at Valley Avenue/Cannery Way.
- The full length of the Sumner Link Trail is closed.
- State Street is closed where it crosses under State Route 410.
The Gordon Family YMCA – which is located at 16101 64th Street East – is open to the public as a shelter. Guests will need to provide a form of ID before settling in.
To stay up-to-date on flooding in Sumner, visit sumnerwa.gov/potential-flooding.
Staff writer Bonny Matejowsky contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 7:33 PM.
