Police say a body found in the Patapsco River has been identified as 39-year-old Eddison Hermond, the sole person reported missing in destructive flash flooding in a historic Maryland town.
The Howard County Police issued the confirmation shortly after they announced Tuesday that searchers scouring the river had found a man's body.
Police in Howard County said they received a report at 12:30 a.m. Monday that Hermond of Severn was missing. At that point, he had not been seen since about 5:20 p.m. Sunday in Ellicott City, when flooding from a massive rainstorm ripped down Main Street.
Hermond was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a sergeant in the Maryland Army National Guard.
Meanwhile, authorities have issued what they're calling a "precautionary health alert" after a sewage main broke following the torrential rains.
The main ruptured about 2 miles (3 kilometers) away from downtown Ellicott City, where the historic main street was ravaged by floodwaters for the second time in less than two years.
The sewage overflow, which was first noticed early Monday, has been stopped. But as much as 500,000 gallons of sewage has already spilled.
Authorities on Tuesday are advising residents to stay away from the affected area well above downtown Ellicott City as a "precautionary health alert." Warning signs have been posted in the general area.
Ellicott City has been rebuilding since the 2016 flooding damaged and destroyed businesses. Local officials recently said that 96 percent of the businesses were back in operation and more than 20 new businesses had again opened in the Main Street area.
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