FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - Heavy rainfall in a Maryland county over the past two days has caused flooding and damaged roads, and local officials prepared for even more precipitation Thursday.
Frederick County has received nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, officials said. Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner declared a state of emergency to free up any resources needed to deal with more flooding and any additional damage.
“We are not restricting travel or asking residents to do anything immediately other than to make sure they use extreme caution during this time period,” Gardner said. “The state of emergency is an administrative tool.”
Meanwhile, the city of Frederick has asked residents to limit water use. City officials say the city’s wastewater treatment plant is at risk of additional overflow.
Gardner compared the rainfall to a 16-hour storm that caused historic flooding of Carroll Creek in 1976. A similar storm on Tuesday dumped about 7 inches (18 centimeters) in less than three hours.
“The massive amount of rain simply has overwhelmed already stressed drainage systems, sewage systems and stormwater ponds,” Gardner said.
The forecast calls for rain every day for the next week, she added.
The fire department has responded to 31 calls for water rescues, resulting in 75 people being removed from vehicles that have been stranded, disabled or washed from the roadway, said county fire chief Tom Owens. While there has been no loss of life so far, the chief urged residents to be extremely careful and not travel unless necessary.
“It’s a basic precaution in these weather conditions that we hope our citizens are going to heed, and if you have to travel, never drive through water levels - particularly if you can’t see the road surface,” Owens said. “Take that as a sign that that road in front of you may not be there.”
Frederick spokeswoman Patti Mullins said many homes across town had flooded basements but that she wasn’t aware of any residents who had been displaced.
The city does not yet have a damage estimate, Mullins said.
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