Severe flooding devastated some Western Maryland communities in Allegany and Garrett counties, where children had to be rescued from their schools this week.

Emergency officials evacuated two elementary schools in northwestern Maryland on Tuesday as rain from an eastern-U. S. storm system caused flooding in the area. About 140 students and staff from Westernport Elementary in Allegany County were evacuated and taken to locations around town,

Flooding in rural western Maryland forced the evacuation of an elementary school as downtown homes and businesses were inundated with rising floodwaters in Westernport.