Annapolis families and business owners work to restart after Ida

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As construction workers dodge traffic and debris, the clean up continues. West Street is open to traffic and crews are restoring power to the area.

Cecilia and Manuel Lopez live just off West Street with their two boys and she showed WMAR-2 News Baltimore some damage to the boys' upstairs bedroom.

An Annapolis Latino international market opened in January and the owner, Walter Vazquez, rebuilt the inside during the pandemic. This market also was damaged by Ida.

"The roof got blown out. The ceiling got blown out, water is on the floor, much of the merchandise is lost so, the power went out and it was very difficult," said Vazquez.

The winds, upwards of 100 mph, carried a lot of power as evident how it tossed a dumpster around like a cardboard box. There's plenty of help from the community here, but Walter is looking for government officials to step up as well.

"That we need to facilitate and expedite all the permits and for all the officials to step in and make this happen," Vazquez said.

Vasquez jumped some large hurdles trying to open a new business during a pandemic and his business was picking up quicker than he thought, but then the tornado.

As the Annapolis International Market builds from the ground up for the second time in less than a year, Walter approaches a monumental task with a positive attitude.

"This is another bump in the road but, we got to try to jump it and go back to our normal life and just do work," said Vazquez.

Between the pandemic and the tornado, normal has been hard to find in Annapolis.