By TIM FOUGHT, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago
PORTLAND, Ore. - Two women last seen walking along a wave-battered beach were missing Wednesday in the wake of a storm that drenched the Pacific Northwest, smashing rainfall records and causing flooding that threatened hundreds of homes.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared an emergency in coastal Tillamook County, where about 100 people were evacuated because of rising floodwater.
"They‘re essentially making a road behind those homes," Fire Chief Joshua Williams of Depoe Bay said.
Surf, wind and tide were all high at the time Elma Benefiel, of Beaverton, and daughter-in-law Jan Benefiel, 61, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, were last seen. The Coast Guard, tracking dogs and a helicopter joined in the search.
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire had declared an emergency for 18 counties on Monday, authorizing the National Guard and the Emergency Management Division to offer assistance. Helicopters and hovercraft were put to work making rescues.
"It‘s something that happens once every 10 years," said weather service hydrologist Brent Bower.
At least one house was swept away and nearly 300 homes and cabins were threatened when the Cowlitz River rose out of its banks and changed course near Packwood, Wash., south of Mount Rainier, said sheriff‘s deputy Stacy Brown.
"I don‘t think anybody expected it to rise as fast as it did — like a boiling pot of chocolate milk," church youth leader Amber Low said Tuesday. "It was just logs and root wads. It wasn‘t very pretty."
In Oregon‘s Clatsop County, high water blocked the coastal highway U.S. 101 to all but the largest vehicles, so the county sent a dump truck to fetch 300 ballots from Cannon Beach.