A 62-year-old woman drowned in the flooding waters near the Bar M Ranch near Pendleton.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office reported that Janet Tobkin Conley, 62, was found Sunday morning on the Bar M Ranch property by searchers and neighbors from the area.
Conley had been reported missing Saturday by neighbors in the aftermath of the floods. Neighbors reported having last contacted Conley on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 6 as flood waters were rising in the area. At that point, Conley stated that she wished to stay in her home.
Volunteers from the Umatilla County Search and Rescue, as well as resources from the Oregon Air National Guard began searching the area for Conley on Saturday. According to the sheriff’s office, it appears Conley was swept away by rushing water.
“Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of Ms. Conley in this difficult time,” said Incident Commander Dwight Johnson, a sergeant with the sheriff’s office.
Damage to transportation systems have impacted the ability for many residents to evacuate. Oregon Air National Guard and Umatilla County Search and Rescue volunteers are still working in flood impacted areas to assist residents who wish to evacuate from their homes.
