Flooding on Oregon Route 42 on March 17 near Coos Bay. Gov. Tina Kotek declared an emergency March 19 due to heavy rains which have washed out roads, cut power and caused at least one death. (Photo by Oregon Department of Transportation via Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Friday asked President Donald Trump to declare a disaster, the first step to obtaining federal funding to help Coos, Curry, Douglas and Harney counties recover from the aftermath of intense spring flooding and landslides.

In March and April, parts of southern Oregon experienced flooding from rapid snowmelt, record-level rainfall and overflowing rivers. The floods resulted in landslides that destroyed homes, businesses, bridges and utility systems. In response to the landslides in southern Oregon, Kotek declared a state of emergency on March 18 — followed by another declaration of emergency on March 31 in response to the severe flooding in the southeastern part of the state.

The federal funds Kotek is requesting would support road and building repair, assist families displaced by flood damage and strengthen flood protection infrastructure. 

President Donald Trump has previously called the federal agency issuing emergency funds to states a “disaster” and suggested that states should take care of natural disaster damage on their own, Stateline reported. Nonetheless, Kotek is expecting the federal government to support Oregon’s rural communities impacted by the 2025 floods, her press secretary Roxy Mayer told the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

“Although this disaster hit some of the most economically vulnerable communities of our state, residents had each other’s back and got through the initial emergency,” Kotek said in a news release. “But they can’t do recovery alone. These communities urgently need both state and federal support to help them recover.” 

Harney County was hit the hardest, as flooding breached levees and led to the failure of the only wastewater system serving the city of Burns and the Burns Paiute Tribe. Sewage-contaminated floodwaters caused serious public health hazards, damaged homes and forced extended evacuations.

“This is the second major disaster Harney County has faced in a year, following wildfires in 2024,” Oregon Department of Emergency Management Director Erin McMahon said in the news release. “With limited local capacity, federal resources are essential to help these communities recover and to prevent future devastation.

Oregon Capital Chronicle

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Mia Maldonado began working at the Oregon Capital Chronicle in 2025 to cover the Oregon Legislature and state agencies with a focus on social services. She began her journalism career with the Capital Chronicle's sister outlet in Idaho, the Idaho Capital Sun, where she received multiple awards for her coverage of the environment and Latino affairs. She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and international political economy from the College of Idaho. Born and raised in the West, Mia enjoys hiking, skiing and rockhounding in her free time.