The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to organize operations with a Type 3 Incident Management Team made up of local officials around the county to aid citizens in response to flooding in the county.
On Friday, 26 people were evacuated by Umatilla County Search and Rescue. Most of the evacuated were from the Umatilla River Road/Bingham Road area and Mill Creek Road area.
According to the Umatilla County Emergency Management, the county’s objectives for Saturday are to check on residents on the South Fork of the Umatilla, Umatilla River Road (Gibbon/Bingham Road) and Mill Creek Road. Search and Rescue personnel will be checking with residents to determine if more evacuations are needed. Air support is being provided by the National Guard.
Friday night, 17 people stayed in the Red Cross Shelter at the Pendleton Convention Center. Eight people stayed overnight at the Walla Walla shelter.
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement Friday on the flooding in Umatilla County:
“My staff and I are monitoring the flooding in Umatilla County and other areas in northeast Oregon and are in touch with local officials. I urge residents to please stay safe and follow directions from local officials. We will continue to monitor the situation. My staff and I stand ready to help however we can during the recovery process. Please reach out to my La Grande office at 541-624-2400 if we can be of assistance. I will continue to provide updates as necessary.”
Many roads in the county are still closed due to high water or damage. People are asked to check www.tripcheck.com before they travel, although many county roads are not updated on this site. Do not drive through standing water and stay away from creeks, rivers and levees.
