Flooding Forces Mandatory Evacuations In Port Deposit & Havre De Grace
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. (WJZ)-- Mandatory evacuations have been issued for both Port Deposit and Havre de Grace as water levels rise. The Conowingo Dam, opening more flood gates, is unleashing a torrent of water into towns downstream.
Mike Hellgren has more on the concerns along the Susquehanna.
The normal flow for the Susquehanna River is 10 feet. It is around 32.4 feet right now and is expected to stay near that level into the night before receding. The record is 36.83 feet during Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Forty-three gates are now open on the Conowingo Dam, and more are expected to open. The Susquehanna River may peak earlier than expected—perhaps at 8 p.m. Friday.
The mayor of Havre de Grace says he just got off the phone with the National Weather Service and expects the river to peak Saturday morning.
Havre de Grace has mandatory evacuations in place for part of the city. They evacuated a nursing home Thursday. About 400 people had to go as the river started to overtake some streets.
Also, BGE has temporarily suspended gas to 200 customers and electric to 90 customers. They say that's because of safety reasons, and that number could rise.
Port Deposit has mandatory evacuations, too. Roads in and out of the town are closed off, and the mayor says they will not send rescue crews to help anyone because it's simply too dangerous.
Sky Eye Chopper 13 flew over the Conowingo Dam, which right now has 43 of 52 floodgates open. Port Deposit is about seven miles below the Conowingo Dam.
We're talking about more than 700,000 cubic feet of water per second flowing directly toward Port Deposit and Havre de Grace. Shelters have been set up at Perryville and Aberdeen High Schools.
Harford County officials have set up an emergency hotline for the loved ones of those evacuated from nursing homes. The number is 1-888-756-7836.
