2 dead after floodwaters ravage Maryland town

Kittleman says the damage sustained during the flooding Saturday night was the worst in at least 50 years and possibly the worst in the 244-year-old town’s history.

The picturesque Main Street of Ellicott City, Maryland, faces a months-long recovery that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars after devastating flooding that damaged almost every home and business along the road.

Allan Kittleman, the chief county executive for Howard County, Maryland, tweeted a short video of what looked like waves rippling in the middle of a street in Ellicott City, Maryland. Workers gather by the sidewalk of Main Street that caved in after Saturday night’s flooding in Ellicott City, Md., Sunday, July 31, 2016. In one video posted to the Facebook page of an art gallery, several people can be seen forming a human chain to rescue a woman from a auto that was being carried down the street by waist-high water.

The National Weather Service warned of a flash flood emergency in Howard County and areas southwest of Baltimore and said “severe flooding” was occurring Saturday night. “That tells me that’s what people in Howard County are like”, he said. “Or as Lt. Gov Rutherford told me, like a set from a disaster movie”.

The worst may not be over, as more rain is expected across the eastern seaboard on Sunday.

Heavy rain pounded large parts of the country Saturday leading to massive flooding in some parts of the East Coast and causing at least two fatalities. “All I can say is, I’m just happy to be alive”.

The county has evaluated 200 of the buildings downtown and found that four or five are destroyed, while another 20 to 30 are heavily damaged, said Robert Frances, director of the of the county Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits. As of 11:00 a.m. crews were just starting to allow media into the devastated areas of Ellicott City.

MAJOR #FLOODING Ellicott City #Maryland active water rescues people trapped in cars trees down.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has declared a state of emergency in Howard County after surveying the damage Sunday.

Other rainfall reports included 5.1 inches near Damascus in Montgomery County, 3.5 inches near Westminster and 2 inches in Northwest Baltimore.

Ellicott City officials were continuing to ask residents to remain out of the downtown area as they assess damages and confirm the safety of all individuals. “In this case the Patapsco River was coming up, too”.

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The county courthouse and government headquarters are located in Ellicott City but are on higher ground.