The Latest: Police identify 2 killed in Maryland flooding

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. – The Latest on the flash flooding in central Maryland (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

Police have identified two people who died during severe flash flooding in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Baltimore County police said Sunday that the victims were 35-year-old Jessica Watsula of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and 38-year-old Joseph Blevins of Winsor Mill, Maryland.

Police say Watsula’s body was recovered at 2:20 a.m. Sunday. According to police, she was visiting with family members and there were trying to drive away from the floodwaters when their vehicle was swept away. They got out of the vehicle but Watsula couldn’t make it to safety.

Police say Blevins’ body was found around 8:30 Sunday morning. He and his girlfriend were in a vehicle that was caught in the floodwaters. His girlfriend was rescued but Blevins was swept away.

___

3:25 p.m.

Howard County officials say the body of a second person has been found after flash flooding that devastated low-lying Ellicott City, Maryland.

County Executive Allan Kittleman said Sunday afternoon that the body of a man has been recovered. A woman’s body was found earlier Sunday. Kittleman says everyone else who was thought to be missing has been accounted for.

Kittleman says the damage sustained during the flooding Saturday night was the worst in at least 50 years and possibly the worst in the 244-year-old town’s history. He says virtually every structure and business along Ellicott City’s Main Street was damaged. He estimates the cost of the recovery will run into the tens of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The town was hit by roughly 6 inches of rain Saturday night.

___

10:49 a.m.

Media reports say at least one person is dead after severe thunderstorms pounded central Maryland late Saturday.

A statement from the office of Gov. Larry Hogan said the storms caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure in the central part of the state. Among the areas hit hard by flooding was the historic town of Ellicott City.

Hogan signed an emergency declaration Sunday morning that will allow greater aid co-ordination and assistance.

WBAL-TV quoted the Howard County executive’s office as saying that a woman was killed because of the flooding.