Leonardtown, MD – The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for St. Mary’s County through 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. Showers and thunderstorms will become more numerous this afternoon into tonight. The pattern will remain in place through Tuesday evening, with multiple rounds of torrential rainfall possible. Saturated soil from rainfall this past weekend, along with repetitive heavy rain, may result in flash flooding in a number of areas.
Each year, more deaths are attributed to flooding than from any other thunderstorm related hazard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. The next highest percentage of flood-related deaths is due to walking into or near flood waters. People underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in automobiles as they are swept downstream.
Just 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away a small car, while 2 feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.