The dreaded super-storm, Hurricane Sandy, showed a measure of mercy to Calvert County, a community that felt the wrath of Hurricane Irene last August and Hurricane Isabel nearly a decade ago.
“We’re getting back to normal,” said Calvert County Government spokesperson Carrie Lovejoy, who reported the county’s lone emergency shelter at Huntingtown High School was closed before noon Tuesday, Oct. 30, less than 12 hours after the eye of the storm reportedly made landfall in the New York-New Jersey area, sparing Southern Maryland from the deadly damage and prolonged power outages to the north.
While there still could be problems during the late afternoon when high tide occurs, the county’s bayside communities appear safe as well.
“We dodged a bullet, we did remarkably well,” said Chesapeake Beach Mayor Bruce Wahl, who added he has received no reports of any flooded properties. A crew of 11 employees from the town’s Department of Public Works and the Chesapeake Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant were conducting assessments at mid-morning. Wahl said the town had contractors on call to assist the town employees but they were not needed.
Wahl added he had no reports of many downed trees. One tree that did fall Monday afternoon prompted the temporary closing of Route 261 and resulted in a brief power outage.
“It’s great, we’re good here,” said North Beach Town Clerk Stacy Wilkinson. She reported early Tuesday morning that 3rd Street and 5th Street had been closed while public works crews conducted debris pickup. Monday’s heavy rains had forced town officials to close several streets due to flooding.
“We did quite well,” said Rhea Webster,
