Virginia boy swept away as heavy rains and flooding hit several states

WESTERNPORT, Md. (AP) — Officials found the body of a 12-year-old boy who was swept away by rushing water on a Virginia roadway during a storm system that also forced a dozen students to stay overnight at a Maryland high school due to heavy rains that led to flooding in several states.

A 911 caller reported Tuesday night that the boy was walking outside when he was swept away by water that overtook the roadway from a nearby creek, Albemarle County Fire Rescue said in a social media post.

What is believed to be the body of Jordan Sims was found by crews searching for him about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, the county agency stated. He will be taken a medical examiner’s office in Richmond for positive identification.

“This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our hearts are with the Sims’ family and loved ones,” Albemarle County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to our local and regional partners who supported this search effort with urgency, professionalism, and care.”

In far western Maryland’s Allegany County, officials said about 150 students and 50 adults were evacuated Tuesday afternoon from Westernport Elementary School as floodwaters breached the second floor. Crews used rescue boats to transport the children to higher ground.

The small rural community of Westernport saw its downtown completely inundated for the first time in decades. Rapidly rising waters caught residents by surprise when a rainy day suddenly turned into an emergency situation.

“We went from just kind of puddles on the street to the whole town underwater in at most an hour,” said Chris Lafferty, deputy chief of Tri-Towns EMS in Westernport. “It turned basically all of downtown into a river.”

With a population under 2,000 people, Westernport is located in the far corner of western Maryland. Its modest downtown took shape in a valley where Georges Creek flows into the North Branch Potomac River.

People were also forced to relocate at two other county schools on Tuesday. Allegany County Public Schools said 12 students stayed overnight at Mountain Ridge High School before being picked up Wednesday morning. County schools were closed Wednesday.

Emergency officials said no one had been reported missing or injured, but residents were urged to stay home anyway because several secondary roads had been washed out.

The Potomac River remained within its banks, with only minor flooding reported and conditions generally improving, officials said. Crews were assessing damage after water receded in the Georges Creek area.

By Wednesday afternoon, the sun was shining and many residents had already spent hours scraping, shoveling and hauling massive quantities of mud. Crews used heavy equipment to clear mud from the streets and carted it away by dump truck.

They started cleaning out the town’s library and a fire station, where receding floodwaters left behind a thick layer of sludge. From backhoes to mops, people grabbed whatever they could find and pitched in.

“Everybody’s coming together just trying to clean up,” Lafferty said.

Much of Allegany County received about 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) of rain Tuesday. Rainfall records were broken in some spots of the region, said Anna Stuck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Baltimore/Washington International Airport broke a rainfall record for the day, as did the city of Martinsburg, West Virginia.

More rain was on the way Wednesday, and while not as much was expected as on Tuesday, people should tune in for warnings, watches and advisories, Stuck said.

“Because of the rain yesterday, it won’t take much,” she said. “It will take less precipitation for it to flood because the ground is so saturated.”

Maryland’s Department of Emergency Management activated its emergency operations center to coordinate the state’s response. Roads in both Allegany and Garrett counties were closed because of flooding, according to state officials. Allegany County officials reported that floodwaters have caused washouts and gas line leaks.

“We remain in close contact with local officials and continue to coordinate resources as the rain continues to fall,” Gov. Wes Moore said in a press release. “I urge all Marylanders to remain vigilant, heed warnings from local officials, and prioritize safety during this time.”

In West Virginia, Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency Tuesday night in Mineral County, near Maryland, because of heavy rains and flash flooding, allowing the state to send resources.

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Associated Press reporters Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, and Lea Skene in Baltimore contributed.