In some locations, water rose as much as 10 feet in just 30 minutes.
SILVER SPRING, Md. — A Montgomery County man says he’s grateful his wife and young daughter are safe after the two were trapped in a vehicle during a sudden flash flood Saturday.
John Angel listened over the phone to his family react as rising waters surrounded his family’s SUV on Sligo Creek Parkway. The area was hit hard by heavy rains that caused dangerous flooding across parts of Montgomery County, including Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Kensington and Potomac.
“We were on the phone talking and she was like, ‘There’s a lot of water,’ and then she just hung up,” Angel said. “She showed me videos. It was worse than this — I was like, ‘oh God.’”
Montgomery County Fire & Rescue responded to more than 100 emergency calls during the storm. In some locations, water rose as much as 10 feet in just 30 minutes, officials said.
“We had a heck of a storm roll through Montgomery County — particularly the downtown area, just north of D.C.,” said Pete Piringer, a spokesperson for the department.
Angel said it wasn’t long before nearby residents jumped into action to help his wife and their 3-year-old daughter.
“The next thing I heard was people yelling, trying to get her out of the car — it happened quick,” he said. “They got her out — people in the neighborhood. Thank God.”
One of the neighbors even took the couple’s daughter into their home for safety.
“I thanked them,” Angel said. “I gave them a gift card.”
Witness Jacob Rose said he was stunned by how fast conditions worsened.
“I saw the street, and then five minutes later, I couldn’t see the street at all,” Rose said.
Angel, who has lived in the area for 20 years, said he’s never seen flooding this extreme.
As of late Saturday, crews were still monitoring high water throughout the county, including near roadways and popular trails. Officials are urging residents to avoid driving through flooded areas and to report emergencies immediately.