Severe Flooding Ravages Businesses In Ellicott City
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ)—Business owners and residents are getting a first glimpse of the wreckage after deadly floodwaters swept through Ellicott City on Saturday night.
Some businesses are in such bad shape, they can't be saved.
"It looked like bombs were dropped, it looked like it was a war zone-- cars upside down, cars inside of buildings," said said Megan Clark, owner of Toy Land.
WJZ cameras were allowed to survey the damage on Monday. Shop after shop was just destroyed. Some had the foundation pulled from right under them during the storm.
RELATED: Historic Ellicott City Faces Long Recovery After Flooding
"The tree that was outback standing crashed through and it took all three floors. My building I would say is gone," said Clark.
The flood waters completely ravaged a lot of the businesses in Ellicott City. Many business owners tell WJZ they don't even have flood insurance.
"My entire fall inventory is in the basement. It's completely flooded I lost all of it," said Cristine Werneck, who owns a clothing store.
Nicholas Johnson is one of the lucky ones.
"It's heartbreaking because you think about everything you have to do that doesn't even compare to what these other business owners have to do," he says.
Many of the buildings are not safe enough for shop owners to enter to count their losses, but some are counting their blessings.
"We lost a lot of things but they're just things and we can rebuild, but it pales in comparison to this little girl that lost her mom," said Werneck.
Jessica Watsula, 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, had been visiting with family when she and other people tried to escape their vehicle and she was washed away, according to police, and was later found near the Ilchester Bridge about 2:20 a.m. Joseph Anthony Blevins, 38, of Windsor Mill, had been in Ellicott City with his girlfriend when their vehicle was carried away, police said. His girlfriend was able to get out and find safety, but Blevins did not make it.
Tonight, the county is hosting a community meeting where residents and business will be updated on resources and when they can expect to go back home or get a chance to rebuild their lives.
