_{Thumbnail: In the wake of an atmospheric river that brought flooding to Curry County, the National Weather Service is warning of gusty winds on Wednesday. | Image courtesy of the U.S. National Weather Service Medford office.}

A “severe rain event” that led to flooding and road damage in Curry County prompted the Board of Commissioners to issue an emergency declaration on Tuesday.

The same atmospheric river that brought gusty winds to Del Norte County over the weekend caused the Rogue River to flood near Lobster Creek as well as near the mouth, Curry County Director of Operations Ted Fitzgerald said.

Flooding plugged culverts, causing streams to wash out Floras Creek and Six Rivers roads, said Fitzgerald, who also serves as the county’s roadmaster. It also brought down a lot of debris, he said.

“We assume this is going to be an emergency event for the state. That’s what this declaration of emergency is for,” Fitzgerald said. “And we also need to be aware that more weather is coming.”

In a Monday news release, Curry County stated that flooding had caused widespread damage to roads, commercial properties and homes and that its emergency manager, Jeff Hughes, was communicating with state officials to coordinate recovery efforts.

Residents and property owners who sustained damage from flooding were urged to document it and provide written statements. They were also urged to contact their insurance provider to start processing any claims.

On Tuesday, Board of Commissioners Chairman Brad Alcorn said the central and northern parts of Curry County sustained the brunt of the storm. He said he experienced a power outage that lasted nearly 20 hours.

“I’ve also had conversations with property owners that they lost some of their crops and some of their equipment that they needed for their farming and some of their other businesses,” Alcorn said.

According to the National Weather Service’s Medford office, the Rogue River at Agness east of Gold Beach is at flood stage, as is the Coquille River at Coquille and its south fork at Myrtle Point in Coos County. A flood warning continues for the Rogue River near Agness through Wednesday.

Flooding also occurred across Douglas and Josephine counties over the weekend.

Meanwhile, a high wind warning will be in effect in Curry County from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service is forecasting south winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts between 60 to 70 mph. They warn of toppled trees, sporadic power outages and difficult travel especially for high profile vehicles.

Alcorn warned that the severe weather Curry County was experiencing isn’t over.

“As we experience further weather events over the next couple of days you can reach out to Emergency Manager Jeff Hughes,” he said.

Hughes can be reached at (541) 247-3263 or at Jeffrey.Hughes@currycountyor.gov