Northwest rainstorms leave 3 dead

PORTLAND, ORE. —  The body of a 78-year-old woman who disappeared on a storm-battered beach was found Wednesday, the third confirmed death from storms in the Pacific Northwest that smashed rainfall records and damaged hundreds of homes, authorities said.

The Pineapple Express storm, named for its origin over the warm Pacific Ocean, abated Wednesday after sending rivers over their banks Monday and Tuesday, causing millions of dollars in damage.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared an emergency in coastal Tillamook County, where about 100 people were evacuated because of rising water.

Elma Benefiel, 78, and her daughter-in-law were last seen walking near Gleneden Beach on Tuesday. Lt. Vicky Ryan of the Depoe Bay Fire District said she saw the women and “cautioned them to not go out on the beach because of the high water.”

They apparently moved to another stretch of beach, Ryan said, and Benefiel’s body was found on a spit off the beach. A search was continuing for her daughter-in-law.

In Washington, two deaths were reported -- a hunter whose pickup truck was swept into the Cowlitz River and a man whose vehicle was swept into the same river after he ignored road closure signs. The first body was recovered Tuesday and the second early Wednesday.

Some highways and numerous local roads were closed Wednesday because of high water, mud and rock slides, or flood damage.

Authorities focused on finding up to 1,000 hunters who rode out the slow-moving rainstorm on the mountains between Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, said Gene Seiber, chief deputy for the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

“Many up there are just waiting it out,” Seiber said. “The rescue guys in the air said the guys are just sitting around campfires, waving at the plane. They’re fine now, but eventually they’re going to come down and realize they can’t get out.”

Though river levels were dropping, some were still at flood stage, with recovery and damage assessment still hours or even days away.

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.

The state Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will have crews on the ground next week, state spokesman Rob Harper said.

Rainfall records were set Monday across western Washington, including 8.22 inches at Stampede Pass, which broke the record for a 24-hour period of 7.29 inches, set on Nov. 19, 1962. Olympia had a record for the date at 4.31 inches.

The storm dumped up to 15 inches on Oregon by Tuesday, mostly along the coast.