Floods Overcame Route 50, Water Rescues Spiked In Prince George's

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Thunderstorms brought widespread flooding and gobs of rain to Prince George's County on Thursday. The ensuing water rescues swamped the Prince George's County Fire Department.

Forecasters said the moisture in the air brought "numerous showers and a few thunderstorms" to the area. Weather officials say at least an inch of rain fell. Some areas collected up to 5 inches of rainfall.

A plethora of water rescues drew crews to Bladensburg, Brentwood, College Park, Hyattsville, Mount Rainier and Riverdale. The floods overcame U.S. Route 50, stranding cars in standing water near Columbia Park Road.

More images from Route 50: pic.twitter.com/fsjBmHXQ9U
— Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department (@PGFDNews) September 11, 2020

The department responded to 250 calls in a 4.5-hour period. A total of 134 those emergencies were water-related. In comparison, the fire department normally responds to 430 calls in 24 hours.

"That did put a lot of stress on the system," said Jennifer Donelan, a fire department spokesperson. "Our crews out there, man they rose to the occasion."

Firefighters from Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County and Alexandria assisted Prince George's response. Together, tactical units rescued victims with inflatable rafts.

The Prince George's County Fire Department does not know how many people it saved in total. The agency's media team is still waiting on official reports from its crews. Medics only had to transport one person to the hospital, however.

"Our crews are telling us that what they saw out there today was unprecedented," Donelan said. "That was a monumental task that our crews stepped up to. I'm really grateful for the work that they did out there."

The National Weather Service says heavy downpours can cause rapid rises in creeks and streams. Urban areas and towns with poor draining can also see water build up quickly. That susceptibility forced forecasters to issue a flood warning, a flash flood warning and a flash flood watch in Prince George's.

That water congestion was apparent across the county, even where roads didn't close.

Meteorologists reminded residents that a watch means that dangerous conditions could develop within a given time frame. A warning indicates that a threat is active and ongoing.

RELATED:

• Prepare For Flash Floods In Anne Arundel, Prince George's: Report

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