White River Spared From Historic Flooding

Sangha Takes Preventative Measures, Closes Temple, Moves Services Online

In early December 2025, flood alerts began sounding across the region as the Green River rose rapidly in Western Washington. 

In a single day, conditions escalated from Flood Phase 2 to Phase 4, the highest alert level. By that evening, the river had overtopped its banks, flooding much of the valley near the White River Buddhist Temple in Auburn, Washington, and cutting off several major access roads.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, an area just five blocks from the temple was declared an evacuation zone. As conditions worsened late that evening, temple leadership made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel services and close the temple to ensure everyone’s safety.

Early Sunday morning on Dec. 14, a small group of Sangha members gathered at the temple to take protective measures, moving items to higher ground and sandbagging entryways. 

Travel was challenging; routes normally taking 20 minutes stretched to over an hour due to flooded roads. White River Buddhist Temple Resident Minister Rev. Cyndi Yasaki and her husband, Tacoma Buddhist Temple Resident Minister Rev. Tadao Koyoma, arrived to carefully pack and relocate special items, including robes and the Goeden scrolls, which were moved offsite for safekeeping.

As it continued raining, roads were still flooded, rivers overflowed and levees failed around the area. It was decided to keep the temple closed out of abundance of caution. The goal was to keep Sangha members safe.

The temple remained closed for two-and-a-half weeks. Even as some roads began to reopen, a conservative approach was taken to prioritize safety. While this meant missing services and events such as Bonenkai and the gingerbread house making, the Sangha adapted quickly by shifting meetings and uploading a service and Dharma message to YouTube. 

The temple was able to reopen in time for the New Year’s Eve service, a moment of gratitude and quiet celebration.

While the temple itself was spared, many neighbors in the surrounding community were not as fortunate. Numerous families were evacuated during a time when many were already struggling to meet basic needs. The temple community remains deeply grateful and mindful of those hardships and provides continued support to the Auburn Food Bank.

In the aftermath of the flood, several important reflections emerged, including the need to check on temple members near evacuation zones and the willingness of members to offer places to stay for those who might be displaced.

The experience also highlighted the value of having a preparedness plan; taking an all-hazards approach to preparedness should be considered. 

Whether facing floods, earthquakes, fires, or other emergencies, planning makes a significant difference. It reinforces the need for coordination with neighboring temples. Establishing plans, especially for situations when a temple may be unusable, can save time and reduce stress during a crisis. It also provides some sense of continuity to its members.

Finally, signing up for city and county alerts — not only for one’s home area but also for the area surrounding the temple — can provide critical, timely information when decisions need to be made quickly. In this case, advance warning allowed time to prepare the temple and protect what mattered most.

Through preparation, flexibility and caring for one another, the Sangha weathered this challenge together. The experience reaffirmed the strength of community and the importance of readiness, compassion and shared responsibility.