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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2020)
A3 THE ASTORIAN • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020 Flooding inundates Eastern Oregon By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press PORTLAND — Severe fl ooding in E astern Oregon closed a major freeway on Friday, forced evacuations and stranded at least one family on their roof as other parts of the Pacifi c North- west also braced for more fl ooding and landslides from relentless rain and rapid snowmelt. Images showed massive big rigs foundering in feet of water that had poured over Interstate 84, a major free- way linking Idaho and Ore- gon, and a small bridge col- lapsed as the Umatilla River overran its banks. Smaller rivers and streams in north- eastern Oregon roared with water from a rapid snow- melt, leaving at least one family stranded on their roof and authorities scrambling to rescue residents from a mobile home park. The Umatilla River crested at more than 19 feet just before 10 p.m. Thursday in Pendleton, nearly four times the average height for that date, the National Weather Service said. Sev- eral other historic river level records fell in both Oregon and Washington state. Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emer- gency on Friday for Uma- tilla, Union and Wallowa counties due to the severe fl ooding. “This area’s totally com- promised,” Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts told the East Oregonian. “There will be property damage and vehicle losses.” Tom Roberts, the Uma- tilla County emergency ser- vices manager, said the National Guard provided aerial aid late Thursday as roads near the Umatilla River fi lled with water. Evacuation shelters were open in Pendleton and at a warming station on the Con- federated Tribes of the Uma- tilla Indian Reservation usually used for homeless people. “We’re getting as many resources as we can. Please don’t put yourself in harm’s way, don’t cross moving water,” he said. I-84 was closed for nearly 200 miles westbound from the Idaho border and was also closed eastbound for a six-mile stretch, authorities said. Multiple smaller roads around the region were also closed as fl ash fl ooding hit. Elsewhere in the Pacifi c Northwest, offi cials braced for more fl ooding and land- slides from relentless rains. Washington Gov. Jay Ins- lee issued an updated emer- gency proclamation for 20 counties because of dam- age from storms that are forecast to continue into the weekend. King County Executive Dow Constantine signed an emergency dec- laration Thursday to speed up response and a small number of National Guard troops were assisting resi- dents near hard-hit Carna- tion, Washington. Seventeen rivers in west- Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Nate Fuller and Archie Morrow await rescue on the roof of a home in Thorn Hollow outside of Adams. The pair were stranded when they attempted to rescue the elderly couple who were stuck in the house as waters from the Umatilla River began to rise. All were rescued by helicopter that evening. ern Washington had reached fl ood stage, authorities said. Near Walla Walla, Washing- ton, just north of the Ore- gon border, the Mill River crested at more than 20 feet, setting a record, the National Weather Service said. In western Washington, a tree fell on a car on State Route 18 west of Issaquah on Thursday night, block- ing the highway for hours. No one was injured. People living in an apartment build- ing in Issaquah were evacu- ated Thursday after Issaquah Creek breached its banks and began running under the building. In northeast Oregon, a storm that dropped up to 2 feet of snow in the Blue Mountains was followed by a warming trend that brought two days of heavy rain, melting the snow rap- idly. The combination over- whelmed the rivers, said Dan Slagle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pendleton. Resident Chantel Fuller told the East Oregonian that she watched the water rise Thursday until it fi lled her home in a matter of hours. Her neighbors’ home in rural Thorn Hollow was underwa- ter and other neighbors were stranded, she said. “Our neighbors are stuck in their house and my hus- band and a friend went to go help them out and now they’re stuck on the roof. I’ve never seen it like this,” she said in a video clip posted on the newspaper’s website. “It fl ooded good last year — which is the highest I’ve seen it — and this year tops (that).” Those on the roof were rescued late Thursday but authorities were still can- vassing a mobile home park Friday in nearby Pendleton that was devastated by the rising waters. Snow levels will drop and heavy snow is expected in the Cascade Mountains through Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said. Winds are expected to pick up, too, they said. Snow is also expected in the Blue Mountains, with lower tem- peratures that should ease the snowmelt, Slagle said. Associated Press writer Martha Bellisle contributed to this report. A NNUAL H AGGLE Sunday D AY February 16 10 am -5 pm Oregon State Police Severe fl ooding spills over to Interstate 84, linking Idaho and Oregon near Hermiston on Friday. SUNDAY Live Join us for the following upcoming performances! Visit our website at sundayafternoonlive.org for updates on more performances to come! All concerts start at 2pm. The High Kings March 29th, 2020 Rousing & Reflective, energetic & insightful Irish ballad music! Thanks to our Sponsors: Evers Electric Seaquest Motel Security State Bank Bayshore Realty Willapa Veterinary vice th Sarah Hagen 892 Marine Drive | Astoria 503.338.0101 Antiques Glassware AFTERNOON Vintage Decor Nautical Items April 26th, 2020 Vendors are ready to DEAL! BOOKS BROWNIES & BROWSING The “Perk Up Pianist”! Thanks to our Sponsors: Sherry Aust Beryl Adams Thrivent Financial Will Martin May 10th, 2020 FEB 14 & 15 • 10a - 3p BOOKS OF ALL TYPES & FOR ALL AGES VINTAGE • COLLECTIBLE • NEW RELEASES • TRAVEL • COOKBOOKS CHILDREN’S BOOKS The voice you must hear to believe! Thanks to our Sponsors: Ena Bale Janet Furiord in Memory of Don Furfiord Cecelia Seaman In the HISTORIC RAYMOND THEATRE G R AC E E P I S CO PA L C H U R C H 1 5 4 5 F R A N K L I N AV E , A S T O R I A BENEFITS OUTREACH PROGRAMS Buy advance tickets at: www.sundayafternoonlive.org or by phone (360) 836-4419 PO Box 964, South Bend, WA. 98586
