Annapolis Tornado: Dozens Of Homes, Commercial Buildings Damaged

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Local officials have declared a state of emergency after dozens of buildings sustained damage in the aftermath of the tornado that touched down in Anne Arundel County Wednesday afternoon.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida hit Annapolis at around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, and the reported tornado caused damage to dozens of commercial and residential structures, according to John Menassa, Department of Planning and Zoning chief of code enforcement.

Planning and Zoning inspectors have determined that 38 people were displaced during the storm, the city of Annapolis tweeted.

As of Thursday afternoon, three buildings have been marked as "destroyed," 26 structures sustained "major damage," 49 sustained "minor damage" and 24 have been "condemned," meaning that they have been deemed unfit for human habituation.

Those numbers are expected to rise as inspectors continue work on Thursday, the city tweeted.

"The damage crossed the South River into the Child’s Point area of Annapolis, crossed Aris T. Allen Blvd. and came into the Parole community, which was hardest hit," the city of Annapolis said in a news release. "Additional damage to homes in Bowman Commons and Admiral Heights (was) reported."

Among the damaged buildings was a young couple's 6-month-old home, which was blown 16 feet off its foundation, Pittman tweeted after a visit to the parts of Londontowne that were hit hardest.

(Do you have photos of tornado damage in the Annapolis and Edgewater area? Email your pictures to maryland@patch.com. By sending us photos, you give Patch permission to publish them online.)

Additionally, Pittman tweeted, shingles were stripped off of an older man's roof during the storm. Four of that man's neighbors hammered tarps down on his roof, and Pittman said it "wasn't the first house they'd done."

Annapolis mayor Gavin Buckley declared a state of emergency for his city, and County Executive Steuart Pittman declared a "local state of emergency" as well. Pittman's declaration means that Anne Arundel County can deploy resources and implement the emergency powers of the County Executive to protect the health and safety of county citizens.

Anne Arundel Department of Public Works crews worked through the night to cut branches, move debris and get streets open, Pittman said.

"The fact that this deadly tornado left us without a single physical injury reported is miraculous," Pittman tweeted. "It’s a testament to the preparation and the common sense of our people. Thank you for sheltering and staying safe."

Related: Tornado Damages Annapolis Businesses, South River Stadium

The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management has activated its Emergency Operations Center. Anyone in need of assistance should contact the Call Center at (410) 260-2211, and anyone seeking shelter can go to the Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 273 Hilltop Lane in Annapolis. Those in need of transportation can call the Call Center for assistance.

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Gov. Larry Hogan and Buckley assessed the damage to Edgewater's South River High School Thursday morning, where the "tornado blew through and took with it a piece of the stadium's concession stand," the Capital Gazette reported.

The rafter was dropped on top of trees, according to the Capital Gazette, and the first football game of the fall that was supposed to be played there Friday has been relocated to Severna Park.

Hogan and Buckley also toured Annapolis International Market in the 1900 block of West Street, the city of Maryland said in a news release, and found that parts of the building no longer had a roof.

The city hopes to reopen West Street in the 1900 block by 2 pm. Thursday.

"The extent of the destruction from the storm is devastating, but these are strong communities, and we will provide whatever state resources are needed to help them rebuild," Hogan said in a statement. "We will continue to assess the damage, and coordinate closely with federal, state, and local officials in the days ahead. I want to thank all the first responders and emergency managers who have been working around the clock as part of our statewide response."

Buckley said in a statement that help from Hogan and other county and state personnel will be "crucial" in assisting residents with the cleanup.

"We are thankful that there were no fatalities and no reported injuries," Buckley said. "The fact remains we have a lot of work ahead of us."