Flooding in southeastern Oregon prompts evacuation orders, school closures and health concerns
BURNS, Ore. (AP) — Flooding in rural southeastern Oregon has prompted evacuation orders, school closures and public health concerns as authorities work under challenging conditions to provide services to residents.
The Harney County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that over 1,200 people were under the highest level of evacuation orders and 18 people were using shelter spaces for displaced residents. Authorities have opened an emergency shelter at the county fairgrounds and RV shelters where people can park their vehicles.
'We recognize the flooding has impacted people's lives in significant ways. We appreciate everyone's patience as we continue to work to mitigate issues, and we are grateful for your support of one another and your first responders,' Sheriff Dan Jenkins said.
Harney County School District #3 has cancelled classes for the week at its elementary, middle and high schools in the small cities of Burns and Hines. The district serves some 750 students.
Drinking water is safe, but bacteria such as E. coli are present in the floodwaters, authorities said. Officials are urging residents to avoid floodwaters when possible, and to wear protective equipment such as rubber boots and gloves if they have to enter the standing water. Items worn in floodwaters should not be worn inside the home and should be decontaminated and washed, authorities said.
Authorities have placed portable toilets around Burns for residents whose toilets won't flush due to sewage system backups.
The Burns Paiute Tribe has been providing meals and cases of water to impacted members, and set up portable toilets and showers. The tribe said on Facebook Wednesday that it will move the portable toilets around the reservation for easier access.
Gov. Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to the flooding, which followed rapid snowmelt in the area.
'Flooding in Harney County and on the Burns Paiute Reservation is creating serious public health and environmental hazards that require all hands on deck,' Kotek said earlier this week.
About 7,400 people live in vast yet sparsely populated Harney County, which spans over 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometers), an area roughly double that of the state of Connecticut.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tropical Storm Cosme forms in Eastern Pacific, likely to become hurricane this week
Tropical Depression Three-E strengthened into Tropical Storm Cosme in the Eastern Pacific on Sunday. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the maximum sustained winds associated with this system have reached at least 40 mph, officially designating it as a tropical storm. A tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained winds between 39 and 73 mph – an upgrade from a tropical depression. On Sunday, Cosme has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Tropical Storm Cosme is located 665 miles south of Baja California, Mexico and is currently being monitored by the NHC for further development. "Additional strengthening is expected, and Cosme is forecast to be near hurricane strength on Monday," according to the National Hurricane Center. Cosme is the third named storm in the Eastern Pacific since the start of that basin's hurricane season on May 15, with Tropical Storm Alvin already forming and dissipating and Tropical Storm Barbara currently active and located a few hundred miles to the east of Tropical Storm Cosme. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 to Nov. 30. This story is developing. Check back frequently for updates. Original article source: Tropical Storm Cosme forms in Eastern Pacific, likely to become hurricane this week
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
US Open gets a soggy start to the week at Oakmont, with Jordan Spieth among early arrivals
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Players began arriving at Oakmont on Sunday with umbrellas and expectations for a U.S. Open to live up to its reputation as golf's toughest test. Jordan Spieth was among the early arrivals, playing the front nine on Saturday and 11 holes on Sunday in a light, but steady rain. Turns out the USGA had a policy that no one could start on No. 10. Spieth went down the first, back up the ninth and headed to No. 10. It was long. And it was wet. The area got pounded with rain on Friday, and heavy rain was expected again Sunday afternoon. As if Oakmont wasn't already tough enough. 'This course is built to be like this,' Spieth said. 'So they're not doing a whole lot different to the golf course. You hit a good shot, you get rewarded for it here. And if you don't, you're in big trouble. It's pure golf, no funny business about it.' Spieth was keeping score on this day — he gave himself an 18-inch birdie putt after a 50-yard chip on the short par-4 17th and was 2 under for the day. He also did plenty of chipping and putting. On one hole, he had his caddie throw him golf balls down into the bunker. The grass was so thick it gobbled up the balls before they reached to the sand. The rough was as advertised, mainly the sheer density of it, and it was made even more difficult considering how wet it was. Spieth wasn't worried so much about the grass off the fairway — everyone has to deal with that at some point during the U.S. Open. It was what followed. 'It magnifies once you make a mistake if you don't play the right shot,' he said. 'It's not like making a mistake is the end of the world. It might cost you half a shot. You just have to take what it gives you.' More than 60 players in the U.S. Open field were at the Memorial two weeks ago, which also featured rough that was longer and thicker than normal. Growing grass has not been an issue in the Ohio Valley this year. The difference is the speed of Oakmont's greens — reputed to be the fastest in the land — and not many forced carries. 'This test here, because they give you more runways to try to run it up to the green, it entices you to think you can do more than you should,' Spieth said. 'That will be the biggest challenge this week — swallowing pride. Bogeys don't hurt you. Anything more will.' The forecast was for more scattered showers on Monday, and then a break from the rain until the weekend. Oakmont is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, and its reputation is strong enough that even the best can expect a strong test. First impressions, of course, can be misleading. Shane Lowry recalls seeing it for the first time on the Sunday before the 2016 U.S. Open. He started on No. 10, played five holes and walked in, wondering how he could ever manage a decent score around Oakmont. A week later, he went into the final round with a four-shot lead. 'It was firm and fast when I played it that Sunday, and it was windy. We got a bit of rain that week, which helped us,' Lowry recalled. The flip side was Adam Scott. He first played Oakmont the week before 2007 U.S. Open with Geoff Ogilvy, who was the defending U.S. Open champion that year. 'I played really great that day and Geoff didn't, so I was feeling really chipper about myself,' Scott said. He returned a week later feeling confident as ever. 'I hit six greens in two days and flew back to Australia,' he said. 'It really hit me hard.' ___ AP golf:
San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
US Open gets a soggy start to the week at Oakmont, with Jordan Spieth among early arrivals
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Players began arriving at Oakmont on Sunday with umbrellas and expectations for a U.S. Open to live up to its reputation as golf's toughest test. Jordan Spieth was among the early arrivals, playing the front nine on Saturday and 11 holes on Sunday in a light, but steady rain. Turns out the USGA had a policy that no one could start on No. 10. Spieth went down the first, back up the ninth and headed to No. 10. It was long. And it was wet. The area got pounded with rain on Friday, and heavy rain was expected again Sunday afternoon. As if Oakmont wasn't already tough enough. 'This course is built to be like this,' Spieth said. 'So they're not doing a whole lot different to the golf course. You hit a good shot, you get rewarded for it here. And if you don't, you're in big trouble. It's pure golf, no funny business about it.' Spieth was keeping score on this day — he gave himself an 18-inch birdie putt after a 50-yard chip on the short par-4 17th and was 2 under for the day. He also did plenty of chipping and putting. On one hole, he had his caddie throw him golf balls down into the bunker. The grass was so thick it gobbled up the balls before they reached to the sand. The rough was as advertised, mainly the sheer density of it, and it was made even more difficult considering how wet it was. Spieth wasn't worried so much about the grass off the fairway — everyone has to deal with that at some point during the U.S. Open. It was what followed. 'It magnifies once you make a mistake if you don't play the right shot," he said. 'It's not like making a mistake is the end of the world. It might cost you half a shot. You just have to take what it gives you.' More than 60 players in the U.S. Open field were at the Memorial two weeks ago, which also featured rough that was longer and thicker than normal. Growing grass has not been an issue in the Ohio Valley this year. The difference is the speed of Oakmont's greens — reputed to be the fastest in the land — and not many forced carries. 'This test here, because they give you more runways to try to run it up to the green, it entices you to think you can do more than you should,' Spieth said. 'That will be the biggest challenge this week — swallowing pride. Bogeys don't hurt you. Anything more will.' The forecast was for more scattered showers on Monday, and then a break from the rain until the weekend. Oakmont is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, and its reputation is strong enough that even the best can expect a strong test. First impressions, of course, can be misleading. Shane Lowry recalls seeing it for the first time on the Sunday before the 2016 U.S. Open. He started on No. 10, played five holes and walked in, wondering how he could ever manage a decent score around Oakmont. A week later, he went into the final round with a four-shot lead. 'It was firm and fast when I played it that Sunday, and it was windy. We got a bit of rain that week, which helped us,' Lowry recalled. The flip side was Adam Scott. He first played Oakmont the week before 2007 U.S. Open with Geoff Ogilvy, who was the defending U.S. Open champion that year. 'I played really great that day and Geoff didn't, so I was feeling really chipper about myself,' Scott said. He returned a week later feeling confident as ever. 'I hit six greens in two days and flew back to Australia,' he said. 'It really hit me hard.' ___
