OOregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared a state of emergency in response to the severe flooding and landslides that have affected southern Oregon from February 24 through Tuesday. The announcement outlines efforts to support the impacted regions. In a statement from the Governor's Office, Kotek emphasized the importance of swift action to aid recovery efforts: "When emergencies hit, Oregon families and businesses need to know we have their back in every part of the state," she said. "Recovery starts as soon as disaster strikes, and this declaration will help get Oregonians back to normal as soon as possible."
The identified counties under this emergency declaration include Clackamas, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Harney, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Multnomah, and Malheur. Harney County, which is currently bracing for potential floods in the Burns area, was preemptively added to the list of counties for immediate assistance. As told by the Governor's Office, the excessive rainfall has resulted in critical complications, including "one fatality, critical transportation failures and loss of power and communications capabilities."
The emergency declaration specifically instructs the Oregon Department of Transportation to secure federal resources to address the estimated $10 million in damages to the federal aid highway system within the affected areas. This aid focuses on repairing and reconstructing eligible roadways and is not indicative of a broader emergency declaration for other purposes. Gov. Kotek's declaration also pushes for residents to be proactive during these times, urging adherence to evacuation levels issued by emergency officials and encouraging them to prepare by subscribing to emergency alerts on ORAlert.gov.
Prior to the Governor’s announcement, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) had elevated the State Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) to Level 3 on Monday. For ongoing updates on the impact of flooding in Oregon, residents are encouraged to monitor the Oregon Flood Dashboard, which provides up-to-date information on current conditions and impacts across the state.
