Floods in western Maryland and surrounding areas of Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania led to one drowning death and evacuations from flooded schools.
Most of the affected areas saw 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour, according to ABC News. Allegany County, Maryland, got about 3 to 5 inches, and National Weather Service meteorologist Anna Stuck told the Associated Press that rainfall records were broken at Baltimore/Washington International Airport as well as in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
In Albemarle County, Virginia, 12-year-old Jordan Sims got swept away by floodwaters at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday while walking on a road. First responders looked for him Tuesday night but were unable to find him, and his body was found at around 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, Albemarle County Fire Rescue said on Facebook.
“This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our hearts are with the Sims family and loved ones,” Albemarle County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston said.
In Allegany County, Maryland, several schools had to evacuate as detailed in a series of social media posts by Allegany County Public Schools.
Ultimately, students from George’s Creek Elementary School, Westernport Elementary School and Westmar Middle School ended up at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg, Maryland.
The waters breached Westernport Elementary School, where boats were needed to evacuate 150 students and 50 adults over the course of 15 trips, according to the AP.
While most of the students were then able to be picked up by their families, 12 stayed in the school overnight before being picked up Wednesday morning.
All Allegany County Public Schools were closed Wednesday due to the floods.
As of Wednesday, Allegany County had no missing persons reports or reported injuries, the county’s Department of Emergency Services said on Facebook.
Water levels around Georges Creek have receded, Maryland State Highway Administration crews were on hand to assess roads and clear debris, and gas service has been shut off as a precaution in Westernport, Maryland, emergency services officials said.
Evacuated houses and other residences in the area are being monitored and protected through Wednesday night while they are unoccupied, Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson said on Facebook.
