Thunderstorms pounded the Rogue Valley Monday night, causing storm damage and knocking out the region’s 911 emergency dispatch system that had to resort to a backup.

Highway 238 closure

First responders and utility crews worked Tuesday to assess damage from the thunderstorms, with at least one major arterial road facing a two-day closure and more storms potentially hitting the region.

Highway 238 west of Medford from West Main Street to Ross Lane will be closed for at least two days due to downed power lines, according to a news release from the Jackson County Roads Department. 

Motorists are advised to follow detour signs and watch for workers in the area. Use TripCheck.com for closure updates.

911 systems back online

The Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO 911) system grappled with a system-wide phone line outage Monday night during the stormy weather that began between 8 and 9 p.m. and lasted until nearly 10:30 p.m., with calls being received on the ECSO business line and rerouted to 911 centers in surrounding regions.

No additional updates were available regarding the cause of the 911 outage by Tuesday morning, but the system was back online as of late Monday night. ECSO officials said they were investigating the cause of the outage.

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or buffy.pollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.