Maryland Town Begins Cleanup After Deadly Weekend Flooding

Ellicott City, one of the hardest hit, experienced a month worth of rain in just two hours.

So many “1-in-1,000 year” rainfalls is unprecedented, meteorologist Steve Bowen of Aon Benfield, a global reinsurance firm said after a heavy rain event in 2015.

He said the city isn’t prone to flooding; rather, “It’s the [storms] when you get a lot of rain in a short time” that cause problems, he said.

Virtually every home or business along Main Street sustained at least some damage, and the cost of repairs could reach the hundreds of millions of dollars, he said.

The flood damage in Elliott City, Maryland, is heartbreaking and a testament to the devastating power of Mother Nature. “There is still a lot to stabilize and restore before a full recovery and clean up can begin”, Kittleman said.

Vehicles were swept down city streets and dozens of buildings were badly damaged in addition to those destroyed, county officials said.

On Wednesday afternoon officials suspended access to Main Street because two units in the 8100 block – including the one that housed the Joan Eve antique shop – are in danger of collapsing and could impact neighboring structures, according to county spokesman Andy Barth.

The flood also tore away portions of the street and many storefronts, leaving the town in a shambles.

Cars were swept away as streets became rivers. “Do not try to win with a flood”, she said.

Jessica Watsula, 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Anthony Blevin, 38, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, were identified by Howard and Baltimore counties as the victims who died in the flood, according to The Baltimore Sun. Barnes fought the strong current of the water and linked arms with three other men to help pull the woman to safety.

Two people were killed when the town about 14 miles west of Baltimore took on 6.5 inches of water Saturday night, most of it between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

WUSA9 caught the exchange on a video that shows 29-year-old Knight embracing Barnes, whose toy store was damaged by the storm.

The colossal downpour focused the floodwater on the town, where fast-moving waves lifted cars on top of each other and ripped up roads and sidewalks.

“There’s nowhere for them to go”. “The reality of our financial situation requires us to find ways to work together in order to curb long term spending and protect the interests of taxpayers”, said State Budget and Management Secretary David R. Brinkley in a letter to state legislators earlier this year.