The 2025 Western Maryland Flooding event was early afternoon on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, when flash flooding occurred primarily throughout Allegany County, Maryland. Over 5″ of rain fell in a short period of time in a steep mountainous region of the state. This caused fast, forceful waters to overflow the banks of creeks and rivers, causing significant damage—not unlike what we saw following Hurricane Helene in NC. Allegany County is the second poorest county in the State, surpassed only by Somerset County—where Maryland has worked continuously since 2012. 28.3% of the population lives at 150% below the National poverty threshold. The county ranks 2,322 out of 3,143 in poorest counties in the United States. Initial assessment indicates there is only one (1) person who has flood insurance in the affected flood area.
Maryland VOAD has been coordinating with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, Allegany County OEM, and local mayors and municipal leadership for an integrated and coordinated response. We have just completed an initial muck and gut operation, providing 148 households with clean-up response. Most recent damage assessment data shows that 60% of those homes have water heaters and furnaces that are destroyed or need to be replace.
On June 28, Maryland VOAD lead multi-agency comprehensive damage assessment, so we have complete data from which to work. We have two (2) destroyed homes and an additional 34 homes that are designated as ‘Major’. With the 50% rule in Maryland, we anticipate a number of these homes will require a new build.
Based on our muck and gut operation we anticipate 80—100 homes will need some level of repair.
Maryland VOAD is working with local community members and organizations, along with County and State officials to help form a community based long-term recovery group (LTRG). We anticipate the LTRG will be formed by the end of August, which will allow building and repairs to begin in earnest.
