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Oregon governor declares flood emergency for southern parts of state

Flooding is seen on Oregon Route 42 on Monday near Coos Bay. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared an emergency Wednesday due to heavy rains which have washed out roads, cut power and caused at least one death. (Photo courtesy of the Oregon Department of Transportation)
By Alex Baumhardt Oregon Capital Chronicle

SALEM, Ore. – Flooding and landslides from swollen rivers and record-setting rain in southern Oregon and parts of the Willamette Valley have caused millions of dollars in damages and cost one woman her life.

In response, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency for 10 counties on Wednesday, directing the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, the Oregon Department of Transportation and other state agencies to coordinate recovery efforts. The order applies to Clackamas, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Harney, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Multnomah and Malheur counties.

“Recovery starts as soon as disaster strikes, and this declaration will help get Oregonians back to normal as soon as possible,” Kotek said in a news release.

The heaviest rain has passed, and only light showers are expected Wednesday. Conditions should continue to dry out later in the week, though some snow will linger in the Cascades, according to Shirley Blake, a spokesperson at the emergency management department. Another system may bring more mountain snow later this week, but no additional heavy rain is expected in the Willamette Valley at this time, Blake said via email.

Kotek encouraged Oregonians to sign up for the state’s emergency notifications and to have an evacuation plan and a bag packed and ready that includes emergency essentials. Kotek also directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to assist with repairs and reconstruction on at least $10 million in damages to highways, especially on State Highway 38 near Reedsport and State Highway 138 near Elkton. The agency will also seek financial assistance from the Federal Highway Administration.

Several southern Oregon rivers were flooding on Monday due to heavy rain, Jefferson Public Radio reported. They include the South Umpqua, Rogue and Coquille rivers.

Douglas County received record rainfall for a 24-hour period, according to the National Weather Service. And flooding in Kane Creek in Jackson County Sunday took the life of a woman who drowned while trying to clear debris from a culvert.

In other parts of the state, the Clackamas River and the Owyhee River in Malheur County below the Owyhee dam are also at risk of flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

The governor’s office will continue monitoring conditions, according to the news release, and is closely watching for potential floods around Burns in Harney County.