Tornado Can Shake Store, But Not Determination Of Business Owner

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Shards of insulation coated West Street. The yellow fuzz clung to tires beneath shattered windshields and wrapped around the fences of shredded homes.

Flies swarmed a firetruck red dumpster filled with Huggies and Pampers diapers. That heap of waterlogged waste came from the Annapolis International Market.

Walter Vasquez opened the business eight months ago, but last week’s tornado disrupted his hard work. Seven days after the twister, the store is still recovering.

Vasquez heard a loud swirling noise on Sept. 1. Trees started snapping, and Vasquez evacuated his workers from the shop. He was relieved that his team and customers were safe.

“The rest is not a big deal,” Vasquez told Patch. “It can always be done and rebuilt.”

The entrepreneur was not alone in his suffering. Tropical Depression Ida spawned a tornado around 2:15 p.m., battering Edgewater and Annapolis.

The barrage caused 3,924 power outages in Anne Arundel County. The storm also displaced 38 Annapolis residents, the city shared last Thursday. The town announced Friday that Ida left:

• 5 buildings destroyed
• 25 condemned
• 29 with major damage
• 46 with minor damage

The twister wreaked havoc on the Annapolis International Market, located at 1927 West St.

The winds ripped off part of the roof. The heavy rain flooded the business and puddled nearly two inches deep.

Most of the store’s products were destroyed. Meat, vegetables, cheese — all ruined.

The power is still out, and the backroom lacks a roof. A temporary tarp casts a faint blue glow inside the void surrounded by cracked cinder blocks.

Most of the water is gone, but stray wires still dangle from the rafters. Many of the ceiling panels are missing. The remaining few are warped and colored a murky brown.

“We’ve been working around the clock for the last two to three days,” Vasquez added. “Life always gives you more chances, so we have to work a little bit harder and go back to what we do.”

Steps away lies a house that Vasquez rents to his staffers. The single-family home is surrounded by debris thrown from neighboring properties. Downed trees, a collapsed fence and even a water heater piled up outside the residence.

The mound of scraps covered a gold children’s bicycle. Its red partner with training wheels stood upright, offering a reminder of the once-calm home.

Vasquez could not estimate how much damage the tornado caused. He is determined to recover, however.

Gov. Larry Hogan toured the site last Thursday and asked Vasquez how he can help. The business owner just hopes it’s easy to get reconstruction permits.

“The extent of the destruction is devastating,” Hogan tweeted. “But these are strong communities, and we will provide any necessary state resources to help rebuild.”

After touring the damage in Edgewater, I visited Annapolis businesses impacted by yesterday's storm. The extent of the destruction is devastating, but these are strong communities, and we will provide any necessary state resources to help rebuild. pic.twitter.com/8OT3I8Zffv
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) September 2, 2021

Vasquez explained that immigrants are used to overcoming adversity.

The El Salvador native moved to the United States 30 years ago with $5 in his pocket. He now owns several businesses, including barbershops and construction companies.

“We’re used to this,” Vasquez said of the immigrant community, calling the twister “another bump in the road.” “We’re very resilient people. We work.”

Resources For Tornado Victims

Annapolis and Anne Arundel County both declared states of emergency and released a slate of resources for folks.

The city will also host a town hall Wednesday at 6 p.m. The event will connect Annapolitans with disaster relief. It will take place at the Mount Olive Community Life Center, located at 2 Hicks Avenue.

Locals can get food assistance by dialing (410) 923-4255. They can also secure help by visiting aafoodbank.org, mdfoodbank.org or mymdthink.maryland.gov.

The Anne Arundel County Workforce Development Corporation offered $500 to eligible workers who lost their jobs because of the storm. To claim this aid, call (410) 424-3240 or head to aawdc.org/idasupport.

Mental health support is offered at (410) 768-5522 and aamentalhealth.org.

Residents can share any other questions with the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management at (410) 222-0600 or oem@aacounty.org. TTY users can call via Maryland Relay 7-1-1.

The Office of Emergency Management additionally asked locals to report damage at aacounty.org/damagesurvey. This is not a substitute for submitting insurance claims.

Officials warned residents of construction scams while rebuilding. Authorities reminded locals to check if their contractor is licensed by dialing 1-888-218-5925 or browsing dllr.state.md.us/pq.

Marylanders can also donate to a recovery fund at blessedintechministries.org/water-bill-relief-fund.

A full list of Annapolis resources is posted at annapolis.gov/1832/Tornado-Response. Anne Arundel County offerings are listed here and here.

“The fact that this deadly tornado left us without a single physical injury reported is miraculous,” Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman tweeted. “It’s a testament to the preparation and the common sense of our people.”

#AnneArundel County has declared a Local State of Emergency in response to damage caused by the remnants of Tropical Depression Ida: https://t.co/BdvuaHUfL6 pic.twitter.com/hKXXLrzJjb
— County Executive Steuart Pittman (@AACoExec) September 2, 2021

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RELATED:

• Annapolis Tornado Town Hall To Help Residents Wednesday
• Tornado Wind Speeds Hit 125 MPH On Path To Annapolis, Edgewater
• Anne Arundel Tornado Cleanup Prompts State Of Emergency
• Annapolis Tornado: Dozens Of Homes, Commercial Buildings Damaged
• Tornado Damages Annapolis Businesses, South River Stadium

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.