Nearly 20 People Rescued From Standing Water In Anne Arundel Co.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Rescuers have had to pull more than a dozen people out of the water in Anne Arundel County where there have been washed out roads and overflowing rivers.
The dangerously fast-moving and full Jones Falls, which has been fed by inches of rain, was threatening to overflow Tuesday night.
It's a known threat in Clipper Mill where businesses cleared out as storms refused to let up.
Bordering the Jones Falls a couple of miles away, Mt. Washington Village was evacuated.
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Water covered the nearby Northern Parkway exit off the JFX.
On some roads, it was a flat out losing battle. Route 648 quickly became hidden beneath feet of water -- high enough to reach the roadside barricades.
Officials warned drivers of the dangers of crossing flooded roadways.
"If you can't see the lines in the road, if you don't know how deep the water is, you don't know if the road is even still there, you need to turn around and find a different route," said Anne Arundel Fire Captain Russ Davies.
Davies said rescuers' phones just kept ringing as drivers barreled into high water and then found themselves trapped.
During Saturday's storm, in eight hours, he said rescuers pulled 17 people to safety.
"You're putting yourself at risk. You're putting our first responders at risk," Davies said.
Homeowners like Terry Willis who live on the soggy stretch of 648 were again dealing with clean up from the record rainfall this month.
"We worry now because it's flooded more this year than it has in the past," Willis of Linthicum Heights said. "The basement so far, this week, has flooded three times."
In downtown Annapolis, all eyes are on the docks as water washes over and spills into the streets, leaving statues sitting waist deep.
At normally popular restaurants, very few people were seen sitting.
Outdoor patios were empty as workers waited for a break in the rain, hoping it didn't make its way indoors.
"We have had that happen in the past. We keep a very close eye on the flooding," said Corky Plecki of Mission BBQ.
The fire department said during their water rescues, no one has been hurt or killed, but they say there have been a lot of badly damaged cars. Officials are urging people not to take the risk by driving through flooded roads.
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