I-5 still closed; Wash. flood damage could top $1 billion

For evacuees returning to homes still swamped by several feet of brown water, the personal toll from this week's floods was obvious, devastating and in some cases complete.

But the full extent of the losses remains an open question as state officials scramble to quantify and respond to the misery.

The devastation is so widespread that emergency management officials are unable to provide even rough estimates of how much damage has taken place.

"We are talking an unfathomable amount," said Kyle Herman, a spokesman for the state Emergency Management Division, which is collecting data from local officials throughout the flooded areas. "We won't know until the end of the week at the earliest."

With extensive damage in King, Lewis, Pacific, Mason, Kitsap, Thurston, Grays Harbor and Wahkiakum counties, Herman said the number of homes and businesses that have been destroyed or damaged will likely be measured in thousands rather than hundreds.

In terms of dollar value, Gov. Chris Gregoire would only hint at the magnitude of the problems.

"I can't imagine it's something short of $1 billion based on what I saw," Gregoire said. "Search and rescue -- the largest in a decade. The flooding down in Lewis County is as bad and worse than it was in 1996, which is the last known and worst that anybody can think of.

"But we are a little reticent to really quantify it until we get a better handle on things."

The state Department of Transportation says Interstate 5 at Chehalis will remain closed until this weekend and perhaps longer.

The closure has interrupted traffic on the main highway corridor between Seattle and Portland. The interstate carries about 54,000 vehicles a day through the area.

Gregoire was preparing a damage estimate for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and said she had pledges of support from top officials.

She expected a presidential emergency declaration that could speed delivery of food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies.

In Grays Harbor County, as many as 25,000 remained without electricity Wednesday evening. Power was gradually returning to the county, including downtown Aberdeen, where about half the city flood pumps were working.