Officials are searching for a 12-year-old Virginia boy who was swept away by rushing floodwaters in Albemarle County on Tuesday.
A 911 caller said the boy was walking outside when he was swept away by rushing water that had overtaken the roadway from a nearby creek, according to the Albemarle County Fire and Rescue in the western part of the state.
After more than three hours of water operations, first responders paused the search due to limited visibility in the overnight hours and safety concerns for rescue personnel. The search resumed Wednesday morning.
This comes as flash flooding has wreaked havoc on Virginia's northern neighbor, Maryland. The flooding in Allegany County forced the evacuation of an elementary school Tuesday afternoon as water began to breach the second floor, according to local officials.
Homes and businesses in downtown Westernport were also inundated with floodwaters after hours of heavy rain.
Officials reassured the public that students and staff were safe, as concerned parents and other community members posted on social media wondering how long the emergency situation would last at Westernport Elementary School.
Allegany County spokesperson Kati Kenney said responders used rescue boats to safely evacuate the school. About 150 students and 50 adults were evacuated during 15 boat trips.
Kenney said additional evacuations were underway in nearby areas, with reports of people trapped in cars and houses, but no injuries had been reported as of late Tuesday afternoon. She said emergency crews from surrounding counties were helping with the response in the small community near the West Virginia line.
Another elementary school was also evacuated, and students at a middle school were sheltering in place, the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services said Tuesday evening. Officials said three emergency shelters had been opened across the county.
Roads throughout the area were closed due to flooding, including major arteries, according to the Allegany County Sheriff's Office.
Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton said the town has been prone to severe flooding in the past, but they weren't expecting it today.
"It just seemed to happen all at once," she said. "My heart is breaking."
She said the evacuated students were taken to higher ground and sheltered in a church building, where they would be kept safe by teachers and staff until their parents could pick them up.
With a population under 2,000 people, Westernport is located in the far corner of western Maryland. Its downtown took shape in a valley where George's Creek flows into the North Branch Potomac River.
The National Weather Service reported widespread flash flooding in the area Tuesday afternoon.
"We are closely monitoring the flood conditions that are present across Western Maryland due to heavy rainfall, especially in Allegany County," Gov. Wes Moore said in a social media post, adding that the state and local authorities were actively responding to the inundation.
Hamilton said the last time Westernport suffered from devastating floods was in 1996.
"But we're strong and we always build back," she said.
In West Virginia, Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency Tuesday night in Mineral County, along the Maryland border, due to severe storms and heavy rains that resulted in flash flooding. The declaration allows the state to mobilize personnel and resources to the area.
