Stranded Drivers, Damage: Videos And Photos Show Record Flooding

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County was pounded by heavy rains on Monday morning, flooding roadways and stranding motorists in vehicles.

The region received between 1.5 and 5.5 inches of rain Monday, according to the National Weather service. A trained spotter in North Potomac measure 5.55 inches; Damascus had 2.43 inches; a White Oak spotter reported 1.74 inches; and Poolesville received 1.5 inches of rain.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service personnel responded to about 250 calls in a three-hour period, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday. Normally, the department receives 350 calls in an entire day, according to spokesman Pete Piringer. Dozens of them were for water rescues.

Drivers hopped on Twitter to give traffic updates and broadcast what was unfolding in front of them: streets turned into rivers as cars floated away and some drivers had to be rescued by boat.

More than 70 families in the Belfast Road community of Potomac had direct access to their homes restricted Monday after the heavy rains created a sinkhole that cut off the only road to the neighborhood.

WJLA's Sam Sweeney posted a photo of the aftermath on Twitter:

This road washed away trapping residents on the other side. This is the only access road for 75 homes in this Potomac, Maryland subdivision. It could take weeks to fix. pic.twitter.com/uMEy66k5zb
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) July 8, 2019

Sweeney also shared a video of a school bus full of children driving through a flooded road.

A school bus full of children drives through a flooded Glen Rd. in Montgomery County, MD. @mcpnews @mcfrsPIO pic.twitter.com/bUpdUIWKdI
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) July 8, 2019

Over in Clarksburg, Newcut and Frederick roads were a complete wash-out. Getting a vehicle through that river appeared impossible. Here's a video from WUSA9's Adam Longo:

FLOODING WARNING
Clarksburg, Montgomery County.
Newcut Rd & MD 355 (Frederick Rd)
Road is completely washed out.
More to come...@hbwx @wusa9 @MelissaNordWx @TenaciousTopper @MiriWeather pic.twitter.com/ALc1wx9Ptx
— Adam Longo (@adamlongoTV) July 8, 2019

Twitter user Andrea L was driving along I-66. She called the conditions "insane."

This is insane on I-66 @capitalweather pic.twitter.com/VIdTbgKwCh
— Andrea L (@lazolov3) July 8, 2019

Flooding is the leading cause of severe weather-related deaths in the U.S. claiming on average nearly 100 lives a year. Most of these deaths occur in vehicles when people try to drive through flooded roads. Many other lives are lost when people walk into or near flood waters. This happens because people underestimate the force and power of water, especially when it's moving.

Here's a few things you should know if you're ever caught in a flood, according to first responders:

• Don't walk or drive into flood waters
• Six inches of flood water can knock an adult off their feet
• 12 to 18 inches of flowing water is powerful enough to carry away most vehicles including large SUVs