At least two tornadoes hit southern Maryland on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Isaias moved up the Atlantic coast.
Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County and Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County were hit by tornadoes, the National Weather Service confirmed Tuesday evening. Officials are looking into reports of other tornadoes in the area.
A trained storm spotter reported seeing one tornado in St. Mary’s County, the Weather Service said earlier in the day. Another tornado was being investigated in Calvert County. The Weather Service is still surveying images of damage in the region.
The St. Mary's County tornado was observed in an area that includes Leonardtown, Mechanicsville and Chaptico. The county is coping with flooding, downed trees and road closures, Leonardtown Mayor Dan Burris and County Sheriff Tim Cameron said live on News4.
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“The traditional areas flooded right away and then some other areas too,” Cameron said.
One person was killed in St. Mary's County when a large tree toppled onto a moving car. Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 29500 block of Three Notch Road in Mechanicsville at about 9:30 a.m. A huge tree fell onto the car’s roof, trapping the driver. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity is being withheld pending notification of their family.
Cameron warned that roadways became "impassable and dangerous" and that multiple people needed to be rescued from high water.
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"It was incredible how much the water level was raised," he said.
Tornado warnings were issued in southern Maryland starting at 4 a.m. after tornados were indicated on radar. Residents of Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties were told to take cover. The warnings later expired.
St. Mary’s County officials are advising residents to stay home and off the roads if they can. Multiple roads are closed because of flooding.
Charles County also is warning drivers to look out for flooded roads.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
