Extreme rainfall this week has claimed its first two deaths in Oregon and prompted a state of emergency in Washington state.
The deluge set a record in Portland, which saw 2.75 inches of rain on Monday, setting a daily record, CNN affiliate KOIN said.
Also in Portland, a fallen tree trapped a 60-year-old woman in her bed on Wednesday, killing her, Lt. Rich Tyler with Portland Fire and Rescue told Oregonlive.com.
And in Clatskanie, a woman drowned on Wednesday after the car she was in drove into high water, CNN affiliate KOIN reported, citing a fire official. A man who was also in the car escaped through its sunroof.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, 15 inches of rain flooded several areas of the Oregon coast, and residents in Tillamook couldn’t cross a bridge to get to work, CNN affiliate KPTV reported.
“It’s nuts. Just trying to get out of my neighborhood was bad,” Adam Goldsborough told the station.
The Nehalem River crested at 23 feet Wednesday morning, the fourth worst recorded levels of the river in its history, officials told the news outlet.
The Wilson River crested at 20 feet, the highest it’s been since 2006, threatening an RV park.
“We had to move. We moved our trailer at 9 last night, got to bed at 10. I’m guessing this is going to be the second or third worst flood here over the years. A lot of people are comparing it to ’96,” Vicki Tarpley told KPTV on Wednesday.
In Washington, streets and homes were flooded, and landslides closed some highways. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.
