Maryland flooding: Videos show Ellicott City streets turned into torrents of brown water

Governor declares state of emergency

Water rushes through Main Street in Ellicott City, Maryland, following severe rains (AP)

A state of emergency has been declared in Maryland after heavy rain caused floods which ripped buildings from their foundations and hurled cars downs streets that were turned into roiling torrents.

Scenes of devastation were posted online from social media users in Ellicott City, where a river brown water crashed through the streets.

Buildings collapsed due to the weight of the water, CNN reported.

Maryland governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in the community over the flash floods. Ellicott City is about 13 miles west of Baltimore.

Authorities had no immediate reports of injuries or deaths, but said their information was preliminary.

A witness says she watched cars being swept by flash flooding through a downtown street in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Jessica Ur, a server at a cafe on the city’s Main Street, told The Baltimore Sun she saw the gushing brown waters carry three or four parked cars down the street.

The newspaper reports that the swirling waters reached the second floor of one building at its height.

But by about 7.30 pm on Sunday, the newspaper reported, much of the water had subsided and rescue officials were walking around the downtown area while making sure people evacuated.

The National Weather Service said a flash flood warning has been issued for the area for the rest of Sunday evening, calling it an “extremely dangerous situation” and urging motorists not to attempt to navigate flooded roads.

The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services tweeted that multiple rescues were carried out, and rescue swimmers were called in to help.

The department also said swift water units from as far away as northern Virginia were coming to help.

Local authorities, speaking to CNN, compared the inundation with a 2016 flash flood that killed two people. Ms Ur told The Baltimore Sun the waters were “significantly higher” this time.

Meanwhile, some roads were also flooded in neighboring Baltimore County. A spokeswoman in Baltimore County said the fire department has received dozens of calls about cars stuck in high water and flooded basements.