Homes, Businesses Flood As Hurricane Debby Remnants Soak MD: See Photos

BOWLEYS QUARTERS, MD — Flooding swamped coastal Maryland Friday, battering waterfront homes and businesses as Hurricane Debby remnants rolled through. The rainfall varied by location, but strong gusts up to 47 mph left 30,000 Maryland customers without power during the peak.

Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County bore the brunt of the storm, which was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone before arrival.

The 4.54-foot storm surge in Annapolis was the 10th-worst flood in the city's recorded history. The record 7.16 feet of inundation came in 2003's Tropical Storm Isabel.

The water eclipsed the Ego Alley bulkhead, turning Dock Street into a pond. Lying about 100 feet from City Dock, Storm Brothers Ice Cream Factory had 13 inches of flooding outside its front door.

"This is happening with such frequency," owner Sveinn Storm told Patch.

Storm plugged his door with a dam and used five pumps to remove any water that seeped in. The early action prevented damage, so Storm Brothers is opening as scheduled on Saturday.

"We got down here just in the nick of time," Storm said. "We haven't lost power, and we're good. We're staying ahead of it."

Storm is all too familiar with inundation. About 32 inches of floodwater destroyed his equipment in January and caused $60,000 to $80,000 in damage. That flood, the third-worst in Annapolis' recorded history, closed Storm's ice cream parlor for seven weeks.

"All these businesses are wiped out again," Storm said, noting that it's nowhere near as bad this time. "It's such a hassle to go through all the nonsense."

Residents are asked to report their damage to the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Offices of Emergency Management.

Over in Baltimore County, Bowleys Quarters was swamped. The bayside neighborhood escaped widespread damage, but the rising tide gave residents a scare.

Floodwater encircled Mike Williams' home, pooling 2.5 feet deep at some points. The surge reached his streetside mailbox, which is more than a football field from the shoreline.

"The pier is completely underwater," Wiliams said. "At the end of the pier, there used to be a pavilion. That has now been razed from the water."

About 8 to 10 inches of water filled Williams' first floor, which is all a garage. He pulled his cars out in advance and avoided most property damage.

Williams has lived in Bowleys Quarters for five years. He's used to flooding during downpours, but the inundation preceded the rain this time.

"This is very quick. There was no rain. It was just storm surge," Williams said, noting that he only remembers one flood worse than this.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski surveyed the damage Friday afternoon. He rode in a deep-water vehicle to visit flooded areas with the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department.

"It's pretty bad," Olszewski told Patch in an exclusive interview. "It's pretty significant."

Moving water rushed down Bay Drive, which neighbors the Chesapeake. The inundation temporarily sealed off the only entrance to the community at Bowleys Quarters Road and Susquehanna Avenue.

"We're trusting the fire department to make determinations about which roads need to be closed to keep our residents safe," Olszewski said.

The water also toppled a 75-foot section of seawall at Bowleys Marina.

Olszewski reported additional flooding in Edgmere, Sparrows Point, Millers Island, Fort Howard, Turner Station and the Holly Neck peninsula.

The county executive lives on Millers Island. His neighbors had flooded garages and basements, with 2 feet of water in their yards.

"The safety and wellbeing of our residents is the top priority," Olszewski said. "We'll be ready to spring into action to help with the clean-up."