Stories of strangers helping strangers have emerged, including one video taken in the height of the flooding that showed a Main Street shop owner and several other people forming a human chain to save a woman trapped in her auto. Historic, low-lying Ellicott City, Maryland, was ravaged by floodwaters Saturday night, killing a few people and causing devastating damage to homes and businesses, officials said. One man attempting to help is almost swept away by the current, but he regains his footing and retreats back to safety.
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The other was carried downstream after abandoning a stranded vehicle, Gardner said.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency for Howard County – located between the USA capital and the port city of Baltimore – on Sunday after powerful thunderstorms ripped through the region late Saturday.
When she got to Jonathan Butkus’ second-floor apartment, Weglein says water was coming in and the landlord soon said people had to get out.
Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford plan to attend the recovery and information session for residents and businesses Monday afternoon with representatives of county and state agencies and nonprofits offering resources.
A no access zone has been implemented, restricting access to Main Street in Ellicott City as teams work to assess the damage.
He said Ellicott City would recover eventually, but some business owners may not be able to wait long enough to reopen.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life”, Tolley said.
The man who was killed also had been downtown in a auto with his girlfriend when the waters rose and began to sweep their vehicle away, Armacost said.
This led to numerous water rescues which prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood emergency. The woman managed to escape from the vehicle and was eventually rescued, but Blevins was swept away. And I literally came here, I thought we’re going to have dinner. Other areas nearby received heavy rainfall for only about 30 to 45 minutes, he said. A trained spotter reported that just over 6 inches of rain fell in the town. “It just happened to set up over that area”, Elliott said.
With so much rainfall, there was nowhere for it to go other than the street.
“What we’re going to do, who the hell knows”, said J.W. “Pete” Huey, a retiree and local resident who volunteers at the B&O Railroad Museum at the base of Main Street. “There’s hills on both sides, the river’s on the third side”, Elliott said. Her body was found about 2:20 a.m. near a bridge over the Patapsco River. Once a home to mill workers, in recent decades it has become known for restaurants, art galleries, antique shops and nightlife.
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The county courthouse and government headquarters are located in Ellicott City but are on higher ground.
