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

Rescue boats were used to evacuate an elementary school in Allegany County, Maryland Tuesday as heavy rains brought flooding to the region, the county’s emergency services department said.

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