PACIFIC WINTER STORM CAUSES FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON

PACIFIC WINTER STORM CAUSES FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES IN

OREGON AND WASHINGTON

A LOCAL CHALLENGE BECAUSE OF MOUNT HOOD, BUT NOT A DISASTER

JANUARY 16-18, 2011

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

LOCATION MAP (NOTE: PORTLAND AT LEFT CENTER)

A Pacific storm that swept through the Northwest USA brought heavy rain to Oregon and Washington, causing multiple landslides and

shutting down important roads that facilitate travel cross the region..

MOUNT HOOD

MOUNT HOOD: PART OF THE SITUATION

Mount Hood, a stratovolcano in northern Oregon that is located about 50 miles (80 km) east-southeast of Portland, was snow bound..

6 to 10 inches (15 - 25 cm) of rain that fell in 24 hours in the Sandy River drainage basin accelerated

the melting and subsequent runoff of 2 inches (5 cm) of snow on the

flanks of Mount Hood and triggered landslides.

.

The runoff from heavy rain and snowmelt on Mount Hood

combined to swell a river that washed out a road near Mount Hood, forcing residents to flee their neighborhoods on foot.

.

OREGON: SANDY RIVER ON RAMPAGE

SANDY RIVER ON RAMPAGE

OREGON: LANDSLIDE BLOCKS ROAD

OREGON: LANDSLIDE

OREGON: LANDSLIDE

OREGON: LANDSLIDE

OREGON: LANDSLIDE

OREGON: WALK OUT EVACUATION

WASHINGTON: FLOODING OF ROAD

WASHINGTON: LANDSLIDE BLOCKS ROAD

IMPACT ON RESIDENTS

Residents that could not or did not evacuate were temporarily isolated as a result of the heavy rains, rising waters, landslides, and loss of use of the roads.