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

Family members waded through waste-deep water to reach their children in Western Maryland on Tuesday after torrential rain quickly inundated three schools in Allegany County, prompting emergency rescues.

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