Massive Cleanup Ahead In Port Deposit
PORT DEPOSIT, Md. (WJZ) -- Widespread flooding overtakes Maryland, causing problems across the state. Now the massive cleanup is underway.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the mess the water left behind.
Inspectors are assessing homes and businesses that were damaged by the floodwaters, but they warn it is a massive job and the repairs could take weeks.
After swallowing the town, the Susquehanna River has receded from Port Deposit. In its place: inches of mud.
"We lost everything: carpet, refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer," said Diane Strong.
Valuables are now placed along the curb, destroyed by the storm.
"I have so much mud, I can't get back to where I'm supposed to be. Can't get in the basement," said Jim Martin.
Trash piles also line the streets of Ellicott City. When the rain fell, Main Street turned into a raging river.
"It was so powerful, the water was rushing up the street. There was four feet of water in the street," said Frank Durantay.
County inspectors have deemed a building unsafe after flooding pushed out a basement wall. Cars were crushed by a collapsed retaining wall. Driving was treacherous in places. Dozens of roads were washed out in Baltimore County. Some had lasting damage, like a massive sinkhole on Offut Road.
"That is really crazy. That's something," said Leo Dickey. "That's something."
The sinkhole blocks Dickey's regular route to work. Now he's driving an extra 20 minutes to get around it.
Authorities warn not to take damaged roads lightly. Monday morning in Anne Arundel County, a 56-year-old man was trapped after he drove his SUV right into a sinkhole on Patuxent River Road. The same thing happened to another driver last week.
Authorities say someone moved the barricade around the sinkhole prior to the cars driving in. They are warning drivers to steer clear of barricaded roads. It could take weeks---possibly even months---to fix some of the sinkholes.
