Though power has been restored and roadways appear clear, Clark County residents may still be feeling the effects of stormy weather Tuesday.
Green Mountain School District, about 15 miles east of Woodland, is closed today because Grinnell Road is blocked, the district reported Wednesday morning.
Camas-Washougal Fire Chief Nick Swinhart said he and his staff will be assessing today how much permanent damage there was from flooding Tuesday night at the agency’s Washougal Station, 1400 A St. He said he believes the half-inch high water came rushing into the station because of a blocked downspout.
Neil Williams, 66, who lives in east Clark County, said the storm damaged his deck, which buts up against the Washougal River.
Williams came home at about 6 p.m. Tuesday to his house at 36607 N.E. Washougal River Road and checked the river to find it about a foot below flood stage.
But by an hour later, his crawl space started to flood.
“I wasn’t too worried about it,” he said. “But then all of a sudden, I thought it was an earthquake.”
About ten minutes after the shaking, he felt it again but twice as bad, he said. Williams looked out to his sunrooms and saw a beam of his deck wagging all over the place.
A tree had come down the river and hit his deck, knocking two of the posts out from under it and damaging the other two.
He called 911 and crews with East County Fire & Rescue responded, though couldn’t do much but watch to make sure the river didn’t cause more damage.
“They came down and looked. I got a lot of ‘wow, I haven’t seen it like this,’” Williams said. “The water was making a roar sound. It was really loud.”
Williams said he doesn’t know of any damage to his house, but is still inspecting.
“I’d say it could have been worse,” he said.
In the Oregon, east of Portland, Interstate 84 remains closed between Troutdale and Hood River. The closure began at 9 p.m. Tuesday after more than 20 trees fell across the eastbound lanes. Roughly 4,800 Portland General Electric customers remained without power Wednesday morning.
