Tropical Storm Debby's flooding causes Annapolis to declare state of emergency

BALTIMORE - A state of emergency has been issued for Annapolis after Tropical Storm Debby's rain left flooding along City Dock and downtown.

Floodwaters at City Dock surged to 4.4 feet above normal levels on August 9, marking it as the eighth-highest flood event on record for Annapolis, city officials said.

Initial damage assessments by the City's Department of Planning and Zoning indicate that 19 businesses and non-profits sustained an estimated $162,000 in lost revenue and equipment damage due to the storm.

"Now that we have an assessment of the damage, I am declaring a State of Emergency which will allow City staff to move forward quickly with recovery efforts to help our business community and give City leadership more flexibility in making executive and spending decisions," Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said.

This is the second state of emergency declaration made by the City of Annapolis in 2024. 

In January, the city experienced its third-highest flooding event, resulting in significant damage to downtown businesses. 

The City of Annapolis is collaborating with the State of Maryland to identify if there are additional sources of emergency funding to aid in business recovery.

"We are now looking into all available options to identify both City resources and any alternative funding that businesses can access to carry out repairs and for proactive flood protection," Buckley said. "We will keep in close contact with businesses throughout this process to ensure they have the latest information on any assistance as it becomes available."