More wild storms to hit Florida after record-setting, ‘life-threatening’ flooding
South Florida was soaked by another storm Thursday after “life-threatening” and record-setting flooding caused a state of emergency, forecasters said.
Potentially dangerous heavy rains of up 4 to 8 inches were forecast with thunder through the evening, with some areas hit by up to 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service., according to the National Weather Service.
The wild weather comes after “catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding” had already turned roads into waist-high rivers, stranding drivers and prompting dozens of rescues Wednesday.
On Thursday, the weather service issued an excessive rainfall advisory — the most urgent flooding warning — across parts of south Florida, including Miami.
Dozens of South Florida flights were halted Thursday and cars were abandoned around Miami-Dade County, giving streets an eerie look, locals said.
“Looked like the beginning of a zombie movie,” said Ted Rico, a tow truck driver who spent Thursday morning clearing the streets of stalled vehicles.
“There’s cars littered everywhere, on top of sidewalks, in the median, in the middle of the street, no lights on. Just craziness, you know. Abandoned cars everywhere.”
In total, emergency responders have rescued at least 34 people who were trapped in vehicles and homes due to flooding, USA Today reported.
Meanwhile, about half of the flights at the nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were listed as canceled or postponed on Thursday afternoon.
“It was a zoo,” said Bill Carlisle, a Navy petty officer first class, who was trying to catch a flight home to Virginia. “Just a long day sitting in airports.”
Meanwhile, Florida Gulf Coast University closed campus and the downpour delayed the Florida Panthers on their way to the Stanley Cup games in Canada against the Edmonton Oilers.
Over the past two days, the downpour has totaled 20 inches in some parts of Miami-Dade County with the heaviest rainfall between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday.
In Sarasota, a record-setting 4 inches of rain fell in a single hour.
“That’s the most ever in an hour,” said David Parkinson, senior weather producer at CBS.
In total, emergency responders have rescued at least 34 people who were trapped in vehicles and homes due to flooding, USA Today reported.
The tropical storm also threatens to halt Team USA’s possible advance to the Super 8 round of the T-20 Cricket World Cup.
The US is scheduled to play Ireland on Friday morning in south Florida’s Broward County and needs to win in order to get a historic spot in the next round.
