LAUREL — Anne Arundel County Police reported that at least one woman drowned as water flooded a homeless campsite just off the Patuxent River on Thursday.
More than six inches of rain fell Wednesday night, which led officials to open the floodgates of the nearby Duckett Dam, which caused water levels in the river to rise even higher.
Laurel city officials called for a voluntary evacuation of the downtown historic district beginning early Thursday.
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission said it planned to open additional floodgates Thursday night.
Some residents of Laurel said this was the worst they’ve seen the area flooded in 20 years.