1 man missing in flood in Maryland township
Second time in two years that Ellicott City damaged by a deluge
Eddison “Eddie” Hermond was told by a friend to pop over to a restaurant in Ellicott City, Md., Sunday for the owner’s birthday party. As they celebrated, the rainstorm outside morphed into a relentless downpour, fueling what soon became a river that flooded buildings and dislodged parked cars. When a woman came into La Palapa Grill & Cantina and said her cat was stranded in a nearby pet store, Hermond, a sergeant in the National Guard offered to help.
Authorities said Hermond, 39, of Severn, Md., was swept away during the flood while trying to help the woman find her cat. He remained missing on Monday.
The sudden and widespread flooding, which prompted a state of emergency declaration from Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, was a frustrating, all-too-soon sequel to a similar storm in the summer of 2016 that left two people dead.
“It really is hard for us to be down here for a second time, seeing the same thing over again,” said Lt. Jeff Carl of the Howard County [Maryland] Fire and Rescue Services department. “It’s a déjà vu feeling.”
Once again, many storefronts and buildings up and down the historic downtown were severely damaged, including homes and businesses that had only recently recovered from the flooding two years ago. Since then, officials have tried to insulate Ellicott City from another pounding. But they said Monday that only 30 percent of a flood mitigation project initiated after the previous flood had been completed.
Frustrated residents said the county should have made far more progress. When asked at a news conference about those concerns, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman said, “We have plenty of time to address those issues. Right now, we’re talking about people’s lives.”
Sally Tennant, owner of Discoveries craft store on Main Street, said she and other residents met with officials a few weeks ago, complaining that development around Ellicott City over the last 10 years has made the town vulnerable. Sunday’s was the third major flood since 2011.
“The devastation is far worse than last time,” she said in an interview. “If they don’t do the mitigation they need to, we’d be idiots to reopen.”
Ellicott City was founded in 1772 at the site of a grist mill along the banks of the Patapsco River. The enclave grew into a major milling and manufacturing town and, starting in 1830, was the terminus of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad line. It was designated a national historic district in 1976.
State troopers in all-terrain vehicles and wearing helmets drove up and down Main Street and blocked anyone from entering. They warned that buildings were potentially unstable and said experts were still surveying the damage.