Flooding Causes Road Closures, Leaves Cars Stranded in Montgomery County

Beach Drive near Garrett Park Road. Via MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.

Montgomery County is under a Flash Flood Warning until 6:45 p.m. Thursday due to huge afternoon downpours.

Affected areas include Bethesda, Kensington and Aspen Hill. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer said that downcounty was most affected by rain and flooding, causing roads like Beach Drive to close. Montgomery Parks alerted residents that Sligo Creek Parkway and Little Falls Parkway are also closed in some areas. 

Piringer said MCFRS searched high-water areas to check for stranded people. He said dozens of rescues were made for cars stuck in water. Rescue services received about 150 calls between 12:45-3:45 p.m., about 24 of which were for water rescues. MCFRS usually gets about 300 calls over a 24-hour period, Piringer said. 

Update – Beach Drive near Garrett Park Road, @mcfrs swift water rescue boats checking several vehicles in area & doing a wide area search, at this point it appears as though the vehicles are on occupied but they’re partially submerged and in somewhat remote area https://t.co/pTi8TCxVpx pic.twitter.com/UHeLhRR53V

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 10, 2020

Parkwood Drive & Puller Road, Parkwood/Kensington, Rock Creek has overflowed it’s banks, Beach Drive is closed throughout Montgomery county pic.twitter.com/EpMdAR4PBl

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 10, 2020

Update – Beach Drive near Garrett Park Road, @mcfrs swift water rescue boats checking several vehicles in area & doing a wide area search, at this point it appears as though the vehicles are on occupied but they’re partially submerged and in somewhat remote area https://t.co/pTi8TCxVpx pic.twitter.com/UHeLhRR53V

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 10, 2020

The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) reminds residents to never push through flooded roads and to always turn around.

Please do not drive or walk through flooded or barricaded roads. It endangers your life and the lives of first responders who may need to rescue you.

➡️Make the smart choice. Turn around and go the other way. https://t.co/W5PPzIo8qQ

— Montgomery Co OEMHS (@ReadyMontgomery) September 10, 2020

Serious flooding in Aspen Hill (Oriental and Bartlett)

Courtesy of @erinrubes (Instagram) pic.twitter.com/szmQold6Ji

— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) September 10, 2020

WEATHER UPDATE

Sligo Creek Parkway is closed from Forest Glen Road to Maple Avenue, due to flooding.

Video is of high water below foot bridges on Sligo Creek Trail at Sligo Creek Parkway and Maple Avenue. https://t.co/sAfpK5VBk7 pic.twitter.com/ogZIBpwUv1

— Montgomery Parks (@MontgomeryParks) September 10, 2020

Update Montgomery County flooding https://t.co/c46gJjJYA5

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 10, 2020

About Maryam Shahzad

Maryam is a reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Previously, she was an intern with MCM. She can be reached at mshahzad@mymcmedia.org or on Twitter @maryam_mcm.

View all posts by Maryam Shahzad