Residents, Business Owners Prepare For Next High Tide In Downtown Annapolis
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- City Dock in Annapolis is underwater once again.
The water started to rise before the first drop of rain fell Friday and it's a reality Maryland's capital city is getting used to.
"The road which gets flooded all the time when there's a lot of rain and a lot of wind," said one resident.
At high tide, the water topped four feet and another one will come early Saturday morning which could be as high as five feet, three inches.
"I've been over to Eastport which is very vulnerable there, it's peninsula. And on the backside, they are exposed to the bay," said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley.
County Executive Steuart Pittman said he got reports of just how fast the waters was rising. In Galesville, restaurants opened and then had to close.
"I know somebody was telling me that they were out of Pirates Cove Restaurant and they had to close. The water was coming up as they were sitting on the dock eating so it's going to impact businesses as well," he said.
Governor Larry Hogan said some areas in the state already reached out for help. He declared a State of Emergency late evening Friday.
"This is much more serious and has the potential to be much more damaging over the course of the next 24 hours," the governor said. "We are taking this action to bring all necessary state resources to bear, and assist local jurisdictions in their response efforts. We urge Marylanders to remain vigilant, to stay tuned to local news stations for the latest updates, and to follow any instructions local officials may provide."
Back in Annapolis, with water right at their doorsteps, an entire row of businesses had to shut down. And other businesses are keeping an eye on the water that's creeping closer to them.