I-84 reopens in NE Oregon; flooding turns deadly

(Update: Two lanes of I-84 reopen; Missing woman's body found)

PENDLETON, Ore. (KTVZ/AP) -- Interstate 84 in northeast Oregon reopened to limited, two-lane traffic Sunday evening after night-and-day repairs to reopen the key link following widespread flooding that prompted dozens of rescued, damaged homes and claimed a life.

One westbound and one eastbound lane of Interstate 84 reopened east of Interstate 82 and south of Hermiston after the route was closed because of high water and road damage. I-84 travelers can now continue on the freeway between exits 182 and 188 (no detour off I-84).  

All lanes were closed since early Friday between exits 182 and 188, with a detour around the damaged section. ODOT first reopened one westbound lane, then one eastbound lane. The speed limit is set at 45 mph because of remaining road damage and because crews continue to work on emergency repairs, officials said.

No time limit has been set for opening the second westbound and eastbound lanes. Motorists are reminded to slow down and watch for work crews.  

Check KTVZ's TripCheck page for travel updates or call 511 / 800-977-6368. Outside Oregon call 503-588-2941.

Searchers and neighbors on Sunday found the body of a missing Pendleton-area woman who apparently was swept away by the rushing floodwaters of the Umatilla River late last week, Umatilla County sheriff's deputies said.

Deputies said Janet Tobkin Conley, 62, was reported missing on Saturday by neighbors who last contacted her on Thursday evening as floodwaters were rising in the area.

"At that point, Conley stated that she wished to stay in her home," the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post late Sunday afternoon.

County Search and Rescue volunteers and the Oregon National Guard began searching the area for Conley on Saturday. She was found on Sunday morning on the Bar M Ranch property.

"It appears she was swept away by rushing water," the agency said.

“Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of Ms Conley in this difficult time,” said Incident Commander and sheriff's Sgt. Dwight Johnson.

Damage to roads from the flooding has challenged many residents' efforts to evacuate, so the National Guard and SAR volunteers continued working in the flooded areas on Sunday to help those seeking to leave.

Waters covering roads in flood-hit areas were starting to recede Sunday, allowing some residents to return and assess the damage, while rescue by ground and air of stranded residents continued.

Since the flooding began, the Oregon Army National Guard has rescued 54 people, 10 dogs, a cat and a rabbit stranded by the flood, officials said Monday.

Residents in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in northeast Oregon had to be airlifted by from their flooded homes and even were taken out in a front-end loader as rain and melting snow caused rivers to crest their banks. Some neighborhoods in Pendleton, a town of 16,000, were hit, damaging mobile homes.

Seventeen evacuees spent Friday night at the Red Cross shelter in the Pendleton Convention Center, and numerous people dropped off blankets, pillows and other comfort items, said Nadine McCrindle, the Red Cross executive director for Central and Eastern Oregon. Another eight people stayed at a shelter in Walla Walla, Washington.

“They’ll be able to go to their homes and see what is left, if anything, and see what the damage is,” McCrindle said.

The forecast was for mostly sunny skies and no rain Sunday and Monday.

Many roads in Umatilla County, where Pendleton is the county seat, were still closed because of high water or damage, the county sheriff’s office said.

The Umatilla River crested just before 10 p.m. Thursday at more than 19 feet (5.79 meters), nearly four times the average height for that date. Rivers all around the region overran their banks.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in Umatilla, Wallowa and Union counties late Friday, allowing mobilization of the National Guard.

Umatilla County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue volunteers and the Oregon Army National Guard, among other agencies, continued search and rescue efforts Sunday.

Extraction operations were taking place in the South Fork of Walla Walla River Road up to Harris Park, and Mill Creek areas, for those who have requested assistance and are stranded due to flooding.

An Oregon Army National Guard HH-60M-Blackhawk, as well as a CH-47-Chinook were assisting with extractions for those wishing to evacuate.

Volunteer search and rescue teams were conducting a ground search of the Thorn Hollow/Gibbon area with UTVs, to perform extractions if requested.

The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal said Sunday it activated eight members of a Type 2 incident management team to support the flood response efforts involving the state and county offices of emergency management, Oregon State Police, ODOT and other involved agencies.

The NWS reported a flood warning was in effect for urban areas and small streams in northwest Umatilla County through Sunday afternoon.

Officials said high water remained across much of the area along the Umatilla River. The river was receding and water levels reportedly were continuing to fall through the day.

The OSFM’s eight team members were assisting the Umatilla County Emergency Operations Center with support in functional areas including conducting community damage assessments, developing a plan for disaster recovery operations, ordering supplies and other logistics, and organizing financial records.

The fire marshal's office operates three teams that provide comprehensive incident command to manage ongoing emergency operations.

The IMTs respond with resources mobilized by the governor for a conflagration, natural disaster or other all-hazard emergency that exceeds the control and resources of local emergency responders.

In Washington state, there was widespread flooding in the Walla Walla Valley. Waters were receding but authorities were assessing damage in communities such as Dayton, Waitsburg and Milton-Freewater.