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9-1-1 lines still down across Seattle area. Here's what to do

caption: On New Year's Eve, a Seattle Police officer shot and killed a man on Aurora Avenue
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On New Year's Eve, a Seattle Police officer shot and killed a man on Aurora Avenue

A CenturyLink outage has downed 9-1-1 lines across Washington state and in other parts of the U.S.

Memo from the Seattle 911 Center: If you can't get through, call (206) 583-2111, 206 625-5011 or text 911.

That's right: You can now text 911. (Open text message; enter 9-1-1 in the "to" field. Send location of emergency and type of emergency. Keep it brief. Complete words. No emojis or photos or videos. English only.)

City of Seattle technicians are working with CenturyLink to "ensure our 911 service remains uninterrupted," said a Seattle Police Department tweet.

Call centers are having difficulty getting calls from landlines and cell phones.

There is no estimate when 9-1-1 service will be restored in the region, according to a King County bulletin.

Alternate emergency numbers in King County:

Seattle: 206-583-2111 or 206-625-5011

Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Kirkland, Medina, Mercer Island, Normandy Park: 425-577-5656

Algona, Auburn, Black Diamond, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Pacific, Renton, Tukwila: 253-852-2121

Beaux Arts Village, Burien, Carnation, Covington, Kenmore, King County International Airport, Maple Valley, Metro Transit Police, Muckleshoot Tribe, Newcastle, Sammamish, SeaTac, Shoreline, Skykomish, Sound Transit Police, Woodinville, Vashon Island: 206-296-3311

Issaquah, North Bend, Snoqualmie: 425-837-3200

King County Sheriff/Unincorporated King County: 206-296-3311

University of Washington Police: 206-685-8973

Enumclaw: 360-825-3505

Bothell, Lake Forest Park: 425-486-1254

Sea-Tac Airport/Port of Seattle: 206-787-5401

Redmond, Duvall: 425-556-2500

Washington State Patrol: 425-401-7788

Why you can trust KUOW