Historic Ellicott City changed from an enchanting town into a horrifying flood scene in a matter of moments as heavy rains created rushing floodwaters several feet high on July 30.
The currents were strong enough to move vehicles like they were Matchbox cars, carry off street signs, and trap pedestrians who were enjoying a Saturday night out in the Howard County, Md., neighborhood.
Main Street and nearby thoroughfares are lined with picturesque boutiques, restaurants and art galleries, attracting locals and tourists alike, many of whom rushed to help rescue pedestrians and drivers caught up in the fast-moving waters.
|6 inches of rain in less than 2 hours
As six inches of rain fell in under two hours, water levels on the street rose so quickly that patrons in local restaurants reported having to move to higher floors in order to escape the flooding, which was as high as some of the awnings for the businesses. Ellicott City has flooded before and a high water mark on Main Street shows flood levels of 14.5 feet from Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Named after the three Ellicott brothers who settled in the area in 1772, Ellicott City is built adjacent to the Patapsco River with many of the structures nestled along the steep hillsides. Main Street stretches from the top of a large hill down to the Patapsco River, which rose a reported 14 feet in under two hours that night. The town’s topography made it easier for the water to travel a great distance in a very short period of time.
Two individuals were killed when they were trapped in cars that were carried off by the floodwaters. Jessica Watsula, 35, was visiting from Lebanon, Pa., and Joseph Blevins, 38, of Windsor Mill, Md., was out to dinner with his girlfriend.
Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman said that Main Street would be closed for the foreseeable future as debris was removed and buildings were secured. More than 170 water-damaged cars needed to be removed from the area and some stores are completely inaccessible because the sidewalks and roadway were completely washed away.
|Adjusters onsite
The area is the home to dozens of small businesses with names like All Time Toys, Discoveries, Forget Me Not Factory, Sweet Elizabeth Jane, Gramp’s Attic Books, Bean Hollow and Tea on the Tiber. According to The Baltimore Sun, at least four buildings along Main Street were totally destroyed and another 20 to 30 experienced significant damage. How much of the losses sustained by these businesses are covered by insurance will depend on whether or not they had flood insurance, and the limits of their general liability policies. Adjusters will be examining the losses over the next few days to determine how insurers can help owners and residents recover.
The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) encourages residents and business owners to contact their insurer as soon as possible to begin the recovery process. “It’s important to contact your insurance agent or company right away to get the claims process started,” explained Oyango Snell, PCI’s regional manager.
|Property owners should photograph damage
Property owners should photograph as much of the damage as it is safe to and make an inventory of what was lost or damaged, since this can help expedite the recovery process, added Snell.
“If your vehicle was damaged in this recent round of rain, contact your insurance company or agent immediately to see if you have coverage. Generally, water damage to a vehicle is typically covered under an auto policy’s comprehensive insurance coverage,” said Snell.
Here is a look at some of the damage sustained during the flooding:
A worker can only access a utility pole via a bucket truck because the surrounding sidewalk and road was washed away. Power and phone lines to dozens of businesses were knocked out by the storm. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
This view of Main Street shows how the rushing water collapsed the street and sidewalks, preventing access to any of the businesses. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
Sweet Elizabeth Jane was just one of the shops severely damaged by the rain. The vintage-inspired store carried clothing, accessories, gifts and decorative items. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
Cars and other debris traveled down Main Street to this bridge that leads into adjacent Baltimore County. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (green shirt), observes some of the damage from the storm. Hogan declared a state of emergency in Howard County, which allows officials to bring in additional aid to the area. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
A view of the collapsed street in front of Salon Marielle on Main Street. (Photo: Mark Miller/Facebook)
Related: Deadliest U.S. flash flooding since 2010 hits West Virginia [photos]
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Patricia L. Harman
Patricia L. Harman is the editor-in-chief of Claims magazine, a contributing editor to PropertyCasualty360.com, and chairs the annual America's Claims Event (ACE), which focuses on providing claims professionals with cutting-edge education and networking opportunities. She covers auto, property & casualty, workers' compensation, fraud, risk and cybersecurity, and is a frequent speaker at insurance industry events. Contact her at [email protected]
