Laurel Residents Evacuating Due To River Flooding Threat

Residents of parts of suburban Laurel are being evacuated from their homes and businesses this afternoon due to the threat of severe flooding along the Patuxent River.

Flooding is expected to occur Thursday near the T. Howard Duckett Dam along Interstate 95. The city's emergency operations center has recommended that everyone evacuate from businesses and homes from Main Street north to the river. (Click here to see a slideshow of photos from today's flooding.)

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission released some water from the dam -- which holds back the waters of Rocky Gorge Reservoir -- on Wednesday in preparation for the overnight storm. But a lot more rain fell than the commission had anticipated, and WSSC has been releasing water from the dam much faster for the last several hours, said spokesman Jerry Irvine.
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