Florida cleans up after deluge strands cars, closes airport
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — South Florida kept a wary eye on a forecast that called for more rain as it cleaned up Thursday from nearly a foot (30 centimetres) that fell in a matter of hours, causing widespread flooding, closing the Fort Lauderdale airport, and turning thoroughfares into rivers.
Fort Lauderdale issued a state of emergency as flooding persisted in parts of the city. Crews had worked through the night to attend rescue calls, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.
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.
The Red Cross arrived at 5:00 am Thursday 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. A tunnel carrying US Route 1 under a river and a major street in downtown Fort Lauderdale was also closed, along with some ramps to Interstate 95.
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport remained closed through at least noon Thursday, with many flights cancelled and some passengers stranded. Roads around the airport flooded and became congested with stalled traffic.
By early Thursday, 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.
In downtown Fort Lauderdale, video showed a man swimming to the curb along Broward Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon as as cars rolled by. Drivers also recorded themselves rolling through streets where brown, swirling water rose nearly to car hoods.
