April showers might bring May flowers, but this year’s May flowers brought June showers throughout Maryland and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
On Monday, June 1, torrential downpours hit the area, resulting in severe weather alerts and flash flooding warnings in parts of D.C. and Anne Arundel, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The National Weather Service reported up to four inches of rain fell in certain areas.
According to NBC Washington, the storms caused a large tree to fall, crashing into a 16Y bus just west of McPherson Square — luckily, none were injured when this happened. That evening’s Washington Nationals game against the Toronto Blue Jays also had to be rescheduled to the next day.
Between 4 and 5 p.m. that day, Montgomery County reported it received an emergency call every two minutes stemming from the flooding. For many people, basement flooding was likely a problem, which can often lead to water damage that costs thousands of dollars to repair.
Some Maryland residents have faced good news recently, however, with the announcement that flood insurance premiums for those living in Talbot County, which runs along the shore bordering Chesapeake Bay, will be reduced.
According to PropertyCasualty360.com, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) encouraged the county to take renewed floodplain management measures, reducing the chances for residential flood damage and subsequently lowering premiums. Across the country, water and flood damage represents approximately 26.4% of insurance loss claims.
Under the NFIP’s new reduced premiums for Talbot County policyholders, there will be a 10% reduction for each resident. This means each resident will be eligible for $110 in savings on their annual premiums, with a combined savings of nearly $107,000 annually for the county’s citizens.
Even better news? If Talbot County continues to take steps toward optimal flood management, its residents could see as much as a 45% discount on their flood insurance premiums.
