Douglas County doesn't escape storm damage
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. -- Western Douglas County has been hit hard by the rain storm.
Not only did some homes lose power for part of the day Thursday, but a major roadway is now closed.
ODOT had to close the stretch of road from Scottsburg to Reedsport because of dangerous driving conditions.
Officials say that not only did part of the road wash away, but there's also a large amount of standing water on the highway and a lot of debris floating around.
There were also a few small landslides in the area, and crews were working to clean up the mess.
ODOT is also working to build culverts to redirect the water off of the highway.
Officials say that they're not sure when Highway 38 will be open again. The stretch of highway is the only road from Scottsburg to Reedsport.
But not everyone is lamenting the rain storm. One Douglas County resident whose backyard goes right up to the North Umpqua says she's excited about the high amount of rainfall. "The water is exciting, because it's been so calm and dry around here that it's the first time in 14 years that I noticed a translucent North Umpqua River at this time of the year, where I could see the rocks," said Winchester resident Diana Brown. "This is the way it should be."
Diana says she's not too worried about flooding, and just enjoys watching the now-muddy water.
Even if you're enjoying the wet weather, officials still want to remind you to be safe.
There are many areas throughout Douglas County that have a lot of standing water on the roadways, so if you're driving around, be sure to stay slow and keep your eyes on the road.
