Historic Columbia River Hwy to remain closed following landslide
MULTNOMAH COUNTY Ore. (KPTV) - A landslide across the Historic Columbia River Highway closed the road east of Corbett on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Around 3:30 p.m., crews were sent to a stretch of the highway between the Portland Women’s Forum and Larch Mountain Road after reports of the slide.
According to a spokesperson, the landslide took out at least 50 feet of concrete guardrail and covered the roadway with mud and debris.
The road is closed between the Portland Women’s Forum and Vista House.
On Friday, ODOT said the slide area was still active due to the amount of water in the soil. Crews will be able to inspect the hillside and assess the damage next week when the forecast improves.
ODOT does not yet have an estimate of when the road will reopen.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service also issued a ‘Flood Watch’ for northwest Oregon on Wednesday and running through Friday evening. The NWS is warning that the heavy rain could trigger landslides and debris flows around hills.
The watch area includes hills and lowlands in the Portland area, along the coast and through the Columbia River Gorge.
The NWS suggests the following:
- Stay alert
- Track the flood watch by radio, TV, weather radio, or online. If told to evacuate, do so immediately.
- Listen
- Unusual sounds might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together. A trickle of falling mud or debris may precede larger landslides. If you think there is a danger of a landslide, leave immediately.
- Watch the water
- If water in a stream or creek suddenly turns muddy or the amount of water flowing suddenly decreases or increases, this is a warning that the flow has been affected upstream. You should immediately leave the area because a debris flow may soon be coming downstream.
- Travel with extreme caution
- Assume roads are not safe. Be alert when driving, especially at night. Embankments along roadsides may fail, sending rock and debris onto the road.
Sandbags can be found at locations around Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties:
The latest weather information and forecasts from the FOX 12 First Alert Weather Team can be found at kptv.com/weather
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