Gov. Moore declares state of emergency post-flood in Western Maryland

Jonathan M. Pitts and Kate Cimini, Baltimore Sun on May 15, 2025

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WESTERNPORT, Md. — Two and a half days after flash floods devastated the town of Westernport in remote Western Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore visited the beleaguered hamlet for the first time since the disaster. Once there, he declared a state of emergency, to the relief of residents and their representatives.

In Maryland, the small town of 1,900 was the hardest-hit by the floods, surrounded, as it is, by Appalachian hills and split by the Georges Creek. When the creek overflowed its banks Tuesday, swollen by 5 inches of rain dumped down by an atmospheric river, it had nowhere to go but into Westernport. An elementary school was evacuated, with 150 students and their teachers taken to safety by boat, and countless homes, businesses and municipal buildings suffered flood damage.

Upon his arrival Thursday, after the floodwaters had receded in most spots, Moore began his three-hour tour by speaking to the public at the command center at an armory in nearby Lonaconing, located about 10 miles north of Westernport.

Sweeping into the Good Will Fire Co. No. 1 of Lonaconing at 5:45 pm, the governor brought with him much-needed optimism and good cheer. He embraced Republican State Sen. Mike McKay, Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton, Republican state delegate and House Minority Leader Jason Buckel and others warmly, as though they were close, longtime friends.

He thanked local politicians, firefighters and volunteers who have been hard at work in the flood’s aftermath, cleaning Westernport up and putting it back to rights.

“Thank you for how quick, thank you for responsive, thank you for how helpful you’ve been to our people,’ he said, referring to officials from state emergency services who have been traveling Allegany County to assess what could be millions of dollars worth of damages to the Appalachian area. “These moments are never easy and they’re never simple. But I’ve learned, though, that you never learn anything about anybody when times are easy.”

He credited their hard work with the fact that no loss of life has been recorded in the Maryland floods.

“That doesn’t happen by accident,” he said.

While Buckel said earlier in the day that some constituents were frustrated Moore had yet to declare a state of emergency, their fears were relieved this afternoon.

After a 10-minute ride to Westernport, Moore got out, walked down Main Street, stopping to talk with locals and hear their stories, then did what Buckel and everyone else in the county hoped he would.

While walking into the water-damaged Potomac Fire C No. 2 building, in the company of volunteer firemen, a crowd ringed around him, he announced he had declared a state of emergency.

“After surveying the damage and receiving updates on the work still ahead in Western Maryland, I’ve declared a state of emergency to accelerate our response,” Moore said in a press statement Thursday. “Today, our thoughts are with the Marylanders who have been directly impacted by this storm, and our gratitude is with all of the first responders, crisis managers, and public servants who raised their hands to support our people in a moment of need.”

Jason Bennett, the Allegany County Administrator, smiled at the announcement and heaped praise on Moore and his administration for the resources they began supplying shortly after the heaviest hours of flooding Tuesday.

“They’ve really had our backs through all of this. And we’re going ot need their help, obviously, with the mess we have here.”

Buckel agreed, saying the governor had already helped immensely by sending his Maryland State Emergency Agency team into the area, where they’ve been hard at work ever since.

According to Moore’s office, reports confirmed the affected area suffered a number of damaged structures and utility impacts, including gas line washouts. Transportation routes have experienced washouts and slides, and Lonaconing’s water services have been suspended as a result of a roadway washout and pipe damage.

Declaring a state of emergency allows areas hit by severe weather or other events to apply for millions of dollars in federal relief funds. After a successful application, the federal government releases money if damage assessments were high enough.

“Being here in Western Maryland today with Governor Moore and seeing the aftermath of the flooding firsthand is overwhelming,” said Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, who accompanied Moore on his tour of the devastation. “You don’t fully grasp the scale of it until you’re standing here, witnessing it for yourself. We’ve met families who had to evacuate their homes and small business owners now facing tough choices. The damage is real, but so is the strength of the people here. We’re listening, and we’re committed to doing everything in our power to make sure help gets where it’s needed.”