A woman looks on as she stands outside of his flooded home after heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 13, 2023.
People in South Florida are grappling with the aftermath of a record-breaking storm that hit Fort Lauderdale this week and damaged critical infrastructure, flooded homes and vehicles and shut down the city’s airport.
Nearly 26 inches of rain fell on the city of 180,000 over a 24-hour period starting Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, while the nearby Dania Beach got 17 inches and Hollywood received just over 18 inches.
Government officials have urged residents to stay off the roads. About 600 people have been taken to shelters and no deaths have been reported.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which halted flights Wednesday after exits, entrances and runways were flooded, resumed operations on Friday morning, the airport said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday declared a state of emergency for Broward County, where Fort Lauderdale is located, which orders the director of the Division of Emergency Management to execute response and recovery plans to address the flooding.
People stand outside in flooded waters in the Edgewood neighborhood on April 13, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Tammy Green walks into the home she lives in with her dad, who is a military veteran, after flood waters inundated it on April 14, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Denis Mendez, 32, left, and Isain Lopez 33, walk down a flooded street in the Edgewood neighborhood on April 13, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A torrential downpour severely flooded streets partially submerging houses and cars across South Florida. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
From left, Santiago Rojas, 15, Denis Mendez, 32, and Isain Lopez, 33, leave their partially submerged home in the Edgewood neighborhood on April 13, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
A person walks his bike through a flooded street on April 13, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Nearly 26 inches of rain fell on Fort Lauderdale over a 24-hour period, with more expected throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service.
People try and save valuables, wading through flood waters in the Edgewood neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
A person sits in a stalled truck along a flooded street on April 13, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lindsey Elf uses a paddle board to ride through a flooded street on April 13, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Broward Fire Rescue personnels rescue a family from a flooded neighborhood after heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 13, 2023.
People get rescued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation law enforcement from a flooded neighborhood after heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 13, 2023.
A vintage car is seen on the flooded street after heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 13, 2023.
James Richard (L) and Katherine Arroyo walk through a flooded street after record rains fell in the area on April 13, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida.
Flooding lingers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Source: cnbc.com
