Heavy rain and high winds pummel Portland, OR leaving downed trees and thousands without power

© KGW

A landslide in NW Portland.

Heavy rain and high winds combined to create problems in the Portland and Vancouver metro areas Sunday.

Area residents reported trees down, along with some power lines. On Sunday, Portland General Electric reported 45,000 customers without power. The number dropped to about 1,700 by 5 p.m. Monday.

Pacific Power and Clark Public Utilities no longer reported widespread outages due to the storm Monday afternoon.

In Vancouver, crews responded to more than 30 reports of downed trees or large branches that were blocking streets, including the busy East Mill Plain Boulevard.

"Crews concentrated on quickly cutting up and clearing out a big fallen tree so traffic could get through safely on the busy arterial, a major route for emergency services," said Loretta Callahan, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works. "Meanwhile, Operations Signal crews spent the day restoring traffic signals that were entirely out of service or operating in flashing red due to windstorm power outages and surges."

She said traffic signals at 15 intersections were impacted.

In Portland, a tree fell on a car with a woman insidein the Park Blocks. Firefighters had to cut her out of the vehicle but amazingly, she was not seriously hurt.

"All the trees were blowing, but it was just regular wind, just blowing like 'Shooo!' I couldn't believe that one tree landed on that car. It was just incredible, almost impossible," said onlooker Davond Dade.

© KGW weather

#KGWWeather)A large tree fell onto this vehicle in the Park Blocks, but the woman inside was not seriously injured.

The winds packed such a wallop in downtown Portland that scaffolding was also partially torn off a building on the corner of Southwest 4th Avenue and Washington Street.

Ben Shumlin was in disbelief as the scaffolding fell.

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"I suddenly heard some screams and I looked up and I just saw this wall," he said. "I immediately thought it was from a movie, it felt like I had seen it before. It was crazy. Everyone just started running, it was one of those crazy, hectic things."

The heavy rains led to a small landslide in the Northwest Portland hills.

On Portland's busy Northeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard, near Davis Street, a large tree fell and knocked out power to the area. Authorities closed the roadway, from East Burnside to Northeast Glisan Street, for several hours on Sunday.

Portland police and Portland Fire & Rescue responded to several reports of large trees down, blocking roads throughout the area. Residents were urged to use caution when going outside as large, falling trees could be very dangerous.

In Northwest Portland, heavy rains caused a landslide that came within inches of tumbling onto a home.

TriMet officials said the MAX Blue Line was disrupted, due to a power line that fell onto the tracks.

Portland officials said the heavy rainfall also caused sewage to overflow into the Willamette River early Sunday.

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A firefighter carries a girl to safety at the Gable Park Apartments in St. Helens.

An advisory warned that people and their pets should avoid contact with river water between the Sellwood Bridge and Kelley Point Park, where the Willamette and Columbia rivers meet. That means no jet skiing or swimming, because water could be swallowed, according to the Bureau of Environmental Services. Anyone who chooses to fish within 48 hours of sewage overflow, should cook the fish thoroughly to kill bacteria.

Further out, along Walker Road in Beaverton, a downed tree blocked a neighborhood street and nearly smashed a car.

In St. Helens, high winds sent eight trees crashing down on the Gable Park Apartments (pictured at left) and two parked cars. No one was hurt but 33 people had to find somewhere else to stay overnight, due to the damage to their apartments.

© KGW

Eight trees fell on this apartment complex in St. Helens.

"It was kind of shocking because I've lived there almost three years now and that's the worst I've ever seen," said Deborah Stratton.

There was also widespread damage in Lake Oswego and Salem.

The wind and rain had died down by Monday morning and conditions were expected to stay relatively calm at least through Thursday night.

"Tuesday another weak weather system will push over the area leading to increasing showers or some light rain," said KGW Meteorologist Nick Allard. "Temperatures will stay in the lower-60s and I expect really nice and sunny weather through Thursday."