Fears for hero soldier who was swept away while saving others in catastrophic Maryland flash floods which toppled buildings, washed cars away, and turned streets into brown raging rivers
Eddison Hermond, 39, was last seen trying to help others during the Ellicott City flooding on Sunday
Friends shared Air Force veteran’s image and said he was last seen being swept toward the Patapsco River
Dramatic photos and video emerged on Sunday of buildings and cars being swept away in Maryland
National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for the city and warned of ‘life-threatening’ situation
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency soon after due to the flash floods
Ellicott City was wracked by similar devastation two years ago when two people died in flash flooding
After the floodwaters receded Sunday, emergency officials had no immediate reports of fatalities or injuries
By ANNETA KONSTANTINIDES and EMILY CRANE
DAILYMAIL.COM
28 May 2018
A National Guardsman has gone missing after he tried to rescue people while roaring flash floods struck a Maryland city on Sunday.
Eddison Hermond, 39, was last seen trying to help others during the Ellicott City flooding when he was swept away by the waters around 5.20pm.
Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman says a man was reported missing to police about 12.30am on Monday. He is not a resident of the historic district.
Friends frantically shared the Air Force veteran’s image on Facebook and said witnesses saw him being swept toward Patapsco River.
‘Local news is saying no one is missing, but we don’t know where our brother is,’ Bonnie Hoppa wrote on Facebook.
‘Please, please, please, if you know where Eddison is, we are extremely worried.’
Howard County officials have since confirmed that one person is missing and swift water rescue, trucks, and ATVs have been deployed in search efforts. As of Monday morning Hermond was still missing.
Kittleman said emergency workers are ‘making every effort to locate that individual’.
Hoppa described Hermond as 6ft tall with an ‘athletic build’. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts.
Violent floodwaters surged through Ellicott City on Sunday, sweeping away dozens of cars and toppling buildings as more than 8 inches of rain dumped down in five hours.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has since declared a state of emergency for all of Maryland.
The Rest…HERE
