Heavy Rain And High Winds Causing Trouble In Maryland
BALTIMORE (AP/WJZ) -- It's been a wild 24 hours. All the rain that's come down is causing trouble.
Christie Ileto reports.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for urban areas and a Flash Flood Watch until early Thursday morning.
Danger rained down Wednesday. Rapidly rising waters washed out York Road at Beaver Run Lane in Cockeysville, leaving two men stranded inside their business.
"I know this area floods on a regular basis, but I was surprised to hear people trapped," said one witness.
Rescue crews cleared debris from a storm drain after a 10-year-old girl was nearly washed away by a rushing stream.
"I couldn't believe it was this deep," said Lisa McKenzie.
Sirens became the anthem on Baltimore streets. Side roads closed and store parking lots flooded in Mt. Washington. Water was rising fast, including in Pikesville on Scott Hill Drive. Part of the road was blocked off because the water was washing away part of the road.
Residents say they haven't seen this type of flooding in the last 17 years. A playground was even partially under water.
"The water was coming in pretty quickly," said Karlan Cruz.
Cruz realized too late he was trapped in a rising tide.
"I saw cars in front of me make it and I thought I could go ahead and do that, too," he said.
Related Link: Watches & Warnings
April showers are stronger than usual, as heavy rains flood Maryland roads. Compromise Street in Annapolis was one of dozens closed in Anne Arundel County.
The water also rose over River Road in Linthicum.
"Six to 12 inches of water could cause your vehicle to come dislodged from the road surface and drift away," Lt. Jack Beall, Anne Arundel County Fire Department.
Officials urge drivers to slow down, use your wipers and turn your lights on. If a road is closed, turn around. Don't try to drive through water.
"You can't see through it. You don't know what's underneath. You don't know how deep it is. You don't know if the road surface itself has been washed away by the rushing waters," Beall said.
Anyone in the Mount Washington Mill area across the Smith Avenue bridge at Falls Road is urged to leave because of rising waters in the Jones Falls. Clipper Mill Road is closed between Falls Road and Union Avenue due to flooding.
Anne Arundel County Fire Department Division Chief Keith Swindle says swift boat rescuers pulled two men from a car in rising water after they drove around a barrier in the Laurel area.
Prince George's County Fire and EMS spokesman Mark Brady says rescuers in a boat pulled another man from a vehicle that ignored a road closure in Bowie. All three men are expected to be fine.
Strong storms caused many problems. Rowhomes near Druid Hill Park lost power overnight. The nasty weather also toppled a huge tree in Woodberry, taking out a couple of cars.
"Water was up to here… about six to seven inches up the wall," said Michael O'Brien, Pip's Dock Street Dogs.
In Annapolis, Pip's Dock Street Dogs was forced to close. The same goes for neighboring businesses.
"Everything here drains into the city dock, so there's really not a drainage system," O'Brien said. "So when this overflows here, it comes right back up and then flows in."
Officials ask residents to clear out storm drains. Drivers can expect more road closures and delays until the weather starts drying out.
For a full list of road closures, click here.
Through Wednesday night, rainfall will average 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts.
A warm front will come through around 8 p.m. Wednesday, bringing with it gusty thunderstorms through early Thursday morning. It will also turn noticeably more humid.
There can be some spotty showers and thunderstorms around on Thursday, but it looks like a decent day overall with temperatures in the 70s.
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