Jan Wesner Childs
The U.S. Coast Guard and other rescuers pulled 20 people from a campground surrounded by floodwaters Friday on the northern coast of Oregon.
"There's an RV park with the threat of a mudslide in the area," Petty Officer Michael Clark, a public information officer for the Coast Guard's 13th District in Seattle, told weather.com in a phone call.
The area received between 3 and 7 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service, and an additional 1 to 3 inches were possible.
(MORE: As Northwest Atmospheric River Delivers More Rain, Additional Flooding Possible)
Here's what happened as an atmospheric river dumped rain on parts of the Northwest Friday.
Coast Guard Mission Concludes
An update posted at 1:24 p.m. PST said the Coast Guard had concluded evacuation efforts.
The tweet noted that 12 people and three dogs were rescued by USCG crews, while 8 more were assisted by other agencies. About 30 people elected to stay in the RV park.
A follow up post showed parts of the area where the rescues happened.
People, Dogs Evacuated
Two helicopters and a rescue swimmer were on scene at the campground as of about 11 a.m. local time, the Coast Guard said in an update on Twitter. They had pulled out at least 12 people and three dogs, and said evacuations were ongoing at noon.
Clark said local authorities called the Coast Guard for assistance. There were no reports of injuries or medical assistance needed.
As Many as 60 People Were at the Campground
The campground is in the Tillamook County town of Neskowin, about 70 miles southwest of Portland.
Tillamook County Undersheriff Matt Kelly told weather.com that there were 50 to 60 people at the campground, but not all of them wanted to leave. A bridge over a creek nearby was reported to be in danger of failing.
Landslide Closes Highway
About 50 miles to the southwest in Douglas County, a portion of Oregon Highway 138 West near Elkton was expected to remain closed all day due to a landslide, according to the state department of transportation.
Flooding Reported in Several Areas
Flooding was also reported in Otis and other parts of Lincoln County, as well as at least one landslide.
An Atmospheric River is Bringing the Rain
Rounds of rain are expected to continue in the Northwest in the coming days.
"An atmospheric river event is in progress right now, and it will last through at least early Tuesday," said weather.com meteorologist Ari Sarsalari. "An atmospheric river is when there is a persistent upper-level moisture stream pointed at a specific spot for a little while. It can feed different storm systems over the course of several days, sometimes longer."
A non-operational fire truck that sits on display in Lincoln County, Oregon, is surrounded by floodwaters on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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