Rescue workers taking stock on Sunday of the destruction caused by a flash flood in Ellicott City, Maryland, in the US. Downed trees, guardrails sinking into the river bed and planks of siding pulled off homes dot the area hit hardest by the six inches of rain. “There are a lot of people that lost their apartments and their homes”.
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On Monday construction crews crowded Main Street, which slopes sharply toward the river, using cranes to clear debris. “And it is absolutely tragic when you see the damage that’s been done”.
Seth Hoffman, a government spokesperson for Howard County, told weather.com there is extensive structure damage to multiple businesses, residential areas, along with sidewalks and streets.
“In total, it’s about 150 individual units”.
“Our department has a long and successful history of partnership with Ellicott City, particularly through our neighborhood revitalization programs”, said Secretary Kenneth C. Holt.
They were inside the Watsula’s vehicle, when they were swept away by the flood. He explains those moments not knowing what would happen next. Main Street was closed for almost a week in 2012 after a CSX train derailed, killing two women who had been sitting on the bridge and sending 21 train cars off the tracks. About 180 inoperable vehicles have been towed from the Main Street area to a local high school. Some are still driveable, while others are a total loss. “We will continue to strengthen this partnership as we work together to support business owners and residents during their recovery efforts in the wake of this tragic disaster”.
“That’s the beauty of this community… everybody is pitching in”, she added.
Residents and business people have been banned from returning downtown because of the danger, Gardner said.
“Words can’t describe it”.
“One victim was washed away as a pedestrian who was navigating along Main Street”, Police Chief Gary Gardner said.
“Everything around us was replaceable, but that person floating down in the vehicle was not”, he said.
Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman promises the city will come back stronger than ever.
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“It’s pretty devastating; a little more so than Clear Spring”, Mullendore said, referring to the 2014 flood that damaged parts of the small town west of Hagerstown.
