Gov. Kotek declares flood emergency for southern Oregon, parts of Willamette Valley
Flooding on Oregon Route 42 on March 17, 2025 near Coos Bay. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared an emergency March 19 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)
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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.
She 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.
[Infobox: Sign up to get emergency alerts at ORAlert.gov and keep up-to-date with the State of Oregon Flood Dashboard.]
Kotek also directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to assist with repairs and reconstruction on at least $10 million in damages to highways. The agency will also seek federal assistance.
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.
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