South Florida began draining streets and otherwise cleaning up Thursday after an unprecedented storm that dumped upward of 60 cm. of rain in a matter of hours, causing widespread flooding, closing a key airport, and turning thoroughfares into rivers.
Fort Lauderdale issued a state of emergency as flooding persisted in parts of the city. Crews worked through the night to attend rescue calls, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, which closed Wednesday evening, said it would not reopen until 5 a.m. Friday because of debris and massive flooding.
By early Thursday however, enough water had drained to allow people to drive on the upper level – or departures – road to pick up waiting passengers. But the entrance to the lower-level, or arrivals, road remained closed, officials tweeted.
Video taken by witnesses showed water coming in the door at an airport terminal and a virtual river rushing down the tarmac between planes.
Broward County schools cancelled classes Thursday, including after-school and extracurricular activities, after water flooded hallways and classrooms at some schools. Service was restored on South Florida’s high-speed commuter rail, Brightline, after it briefly shut down Wednesday evening.
More showers, thunderstorms and local flooding were in the forecast from the National Weather Service on Thursday. An additional 5 to 10 cm of rain was possible.
Stranded cars littered streets around eastern Broward County, where rains started Monday, with the heaviest downpours coming Wednesday afternoon and evening. Crews worked to clear drains and fire up pumps to clear standing water. People were told to stay off roads until it drained.
At 5 a.m. Thursday the Red Cross and set up a staging area to help residents whose homes were flooded, providing them with blankets and coffee, officials said. The staging area also acted as a reunification point for families.
Fort Lauderdale City Hall remained closed Thursday with ground-floor flooding and no power. The Kinney Tunnel that carries U.S. Route 1 under the New River and Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale was also closed, along with some ramps to Interstate 95.
In downtown Fort Lauderdale, video showed a man swimming to the curb along Broward Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon as cars rolled by. Drivers also recorded themselves rolling through streets where brown, swirling water rose nearly to car hoods.
Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy told CNN it was the worst flooding he’d experienced.
“The ground was already saturated so there is extensive flooding all over our city and throughout South Florida. Many roadways are impassable. Lots of vehicles got stuck and left abandoned in the middle of our roadways,” Levy said. “I’ve lived here my whole life. This is the most severe flooding that I’ve ever seen.”
Shawn Bhatti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami, said the region received “an unprecedented amount” of rain. The weather service was still confirming totals, but some gauges showed up to 63.5 cm. of rainfall.
“For context, within a six-hour period the amount that fell is about a one in 1,000 chance of happening within a given year,” Bhatti said. “So, it’s a very historical type of event.”