NEWS RELEASE
January 5, 2024
Media Contact
Elisabeth Shepard, Press Secretary to Governor Kotek
Elisabeth.Shepard@Oregon.Gov
Anca Matica, Press Secretary to Governor Kotek
anca.matica@oregon.gov
Governor Kotek Declares State of Emergency in Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, and Tillamook Counties
State of Emergency supports county recovery efforts after heavy rains, landslides, and erosion caused critical transportation failures
Salem, OR — Today, Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency in Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, and Tillamook counties to support recovery following damaging storms last month.
Executive Order 24-01 directs the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to provide appropriate assistance and seek federal resources to effect repair and reconstruction of damages to the federal aid highway system in the above-listed counties. The state of emergency declaration follows a damage assessment, which confirmed federal program eligibility and will expedite the process to receive federal resources.
“This emergency declaration will give ODOT the ability to seek federal resources to aid in the long-term recovery effort,” said Governor Kotek. “I am grateful to the local leaders, service providers, and state agency personnel who partnered in quickly assessing the damage and providing immediate aid for community members left vulnerable by these storms.”
Beginning December 1, 2023, and continuing through December 12, 2023, these storms resulted in heavy rain, landslides, and erosion in various locations within these counties, leading to critical transportation failures, which require significant effort to clean up and repair. The storm system was so severe it caused two roads, Miami Foley and Sandlake located in Tillamook County, to collapse. The storms also caused the temporary closure of State Highway 101 and 26 due to flooding. The storm system damaged state highways throughout these counties with scour, washouts, debris flows and mudslides.
###