The rainfall that caused the devastating flash flood Ellicott City, Md., Saturday evening, killing two people, was a 1-in-1,000 year weather event, meteorologists said.
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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.
Search and rescue workers came to the aid of about 120 people stranded in the flooding, while residents formed a human chain to free a woman trapped inside her auto when raging waters enveloped the vehicle on a downtown street.
As part of the city’s recovery efforts, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency for the county, making it eligible to receive state resources and putting into motion the process for seeking federal assistance. On Monday, Kittleman toured the destroyed downtown area, stating that it would require “months, if not years” to rebuild the city. “Do not try to win with a flood”, she said.
This is at least the 9th “1-in-1,000” year rain event across the US since 2010 and the second this year, with the first being the disastrous flooding in West Virginia in late June that killed 23 people. Meanwhile, residents are bracing for more rain in the forecast and many said they are just so thankful to be alive.
“This is a symbol of Ellicott City”, Kittleman said.
Ms. Killen said she has largely remained stoic since water began to swirl around her house, washing away some of the ground under the sidewalk.
Two people died and more than 100 people were rescued Saturday night after six inches of rain fell in just two hours, causing massive flooding in Ellicott City. Soon after, the video shows a group of men link arms and stretch out towards the vehicle, eventually pulling the woman from her auto to safety.
Some people created a human chain to rescue a woman from a flooded vehicle. Her body was later found on the banks of the Patapsco River, according to a report from PennLive.
“I know this has been difficult and we have been working hard to allow folks to return to their homes for essential possessions”, Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman said. “Go help other people first…” The National Weather Service has forecast more thunderstorms for the low-lying area. Numerous buildings downtown were first built in the 1800s.
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“I will never forget that because that tells me what the people of Ellicott City are like”.
